Haven't looked at the comment thread so don't know if this has been covered but I'm sure at least somoene has mentioned that in many parts of the world a woman will be killed if she is not found to be a virgin on her wedding night - and her own family may assist in the murder, to assuage their "honor."
"Kabul Beauty School," an autobiography written by an American woman who moved to Kabul and opened a beauty salon, describes a young woman who was raped by her fiance, after which he refused to marry her. She never told her family because it would mean she could never marry anyone and move out of her parents' house. Later they arranged a new engagement for her. The groom wanted to consummate right after the ceremony, after which the sheets would be shown to the crowd to prove she was pure. Only the American beautician knew the full story. During the "consummation ceremony," she sneaked into the room with fingernail clippers, gouged the woman's fingers to make them bleed, and smeared her blood on the sheets (knowing the red nail polish would hide her bloody fingers) so her husband would go through with the marriage.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-12-30 02:53 am (UTC)"Kabul Beauty School," an autobiography written by an American woman who moved to Kabul and opened a beauty salon, describes a young woman who was raped by her fiance, after which he refused to marry her. She never told her family because it would mean she could never marry anyone and move out of her parents' house. Later they arranged a new engagement for her. The groom wanted to consummate right after the ceremony, after which the sheets would be shown to the crowd to prove she was pure. Only the American beautician knew the full story. During the "consummation ceremony," she sneaked into the room with fingernail clippers, gouged the woman's fingers to make them bleed, and smeared her blood on the sheets (knowing the red nail polish would hide her bloody fingers) so her husband would go through with the marriage.
Quite saddening and terrifying.