She Was 15: A Woman’s Reality of Forced Child Marriage

About this episode

The episode discusses the harrowing experience of a young girl forced into marriage and the broader implications of such cultural practices.

What if your family told you you were going on vacation… And instead, you were married off? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Rubie, who was just 15 years old when her family took her to another country and left her there as the wife of a man she had never chosen. This conversation goes beyond the event itself. It explores coercion disguised as culture, control framed as protection, and what it does to a young girl when the people meant to protect her, become the threat. Globally, 1 in 5 girls are married before the age of 18. Often arranged. Often justified. Often defended. Rubie shares her story of survival. The psychological weight of forced marriage. And the long path back to a life that is finally her own. This episode is about betrayal, resilience, and the moment someone decides that silence is no longer an option.

People in this episode

Host: Hiba Balfaqih

Guest: Rubie

Topics covered

• forced marriage
• child marriage
• cultural coercion
• resilience
• betrayal
• psychological impact

Keywords

• forced marriage
• child marriage
• cultural coercion
• psychological impact
• resilience
• survival
• betrayal

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