Know about bride kidnapping practice in Kyrgystan

New Delhi: Bride kidnapping is a medieval practice in which a woman is abducted by a man for marriage.It is a practice being followed since medieval times throughout the world. It is practised in many parts of the world: Kyrgystan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan ; China, Japan; Mexico; Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Netherlands. In Kyrgystan, bride kidnapping is locally known as Ala Kachuu. It means "take and flee". It ranges from consensual elopement to non-consensual kidnapping but research suggests that one-third of every bride is taken against their will. The typical non-consensual variety involves the young man abducting a woman either by force or by guile, often accompanied by friends or male relatives. They take her to his family home, where she is kept in a room until the man's female relatives convince her to put on the scarf of a married woman as a sign of acceptance. Sometimes, if the woman resists the persuasion and maintains her wish to return home, her relatives try to convince her to agree to the marriage.He and his companions may then rape the woman to ensure that she submits to the marriage. Even when sex does not take place, once a woman has been kept overnight, even for a single night, her virginity is put in doubt. With her honor disgraced, she will have very few other options for marriage. Thus, after one night of capture, the woman is culturally compelled to marry the manThe family of the woman either then feels obliged to consent to the union, or is forced to when the kidnapper impregnates her, as pregnant women are not seen as eligible for marriage. Although the tradition of bride kidnapping is illegal in Kyrgyzstan, authorities largely ignore the law. Nearly half of all marriages in rural Kyrgyzstan are a result of the practice, with the most common justification being "tradition." The marriages happened due to bride kidnapping may turn out to be a successful, but they also prove to be failure. Spousal abuse, domestic violence, suicide rates are higher in case of marriages due to bride kidnapping. Although the practice is illegal in Kyrgystan, but the culprits are not taken seriously. This is because, many villages are ruled by council of elders called Asaqal courts. They follow their own customary laws rather than state legal system. The patriarchal society laws are still prevalent due to these courts. Even, these members are invited to the wedding of the abducted woman and they encourage the bride's family to accept the marriage.