A strange trend is currently spreading in various tourist destinations in Indonesia. Tourists come and do ‘Mut’ah Nikah,’ which means ‘Pleasure Marriage.’ Young women from poor local families, who are suffering from various crises in the pursuit of livelihood, are getting financial benefits by marrying foreign men for a few days.
Why do they buy wives?
Foreign tourists come and marry local young women for a few days, pay large sums of money in exchange for sexual companionship and services, and return home at the end of the vacation.
Such marriages are mainly with men from Middle Eastern countries, where the men establish a relationship for a certain period of time and give a large amount of money in return.
From many perspectives, this practice is seen as a terrible form of poverty and exploitation of women.
Marriage business with the help of agents
Such marriages are often organized through local agents. Many such temporary marriages take place in the Puncak region, where women sign contracts with foreign men for 10 to 20 days.
The industry is growing rapidly, with local agents operating such marriages as a business model. In this case, some agents are organizing up to 25 ‘joy marriages’ per month.
These agents usually create interest in such marriages among women and put them in touch with men. Once a contract is signed, the relationship ends within a few days in exchange for money.
Through these contracts, a young woman earns between $300 and $500 from each marriage, which is necessary for their livelihood. However, part of this money goes into the agent’s pocket, and some is deducted through local officials or legal processes.
Chahaya’s story
A young woman named ‘Chahaya” (pseudonym) shared her experience in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. She was first forced into such a marriage at the age of 13. After that, she was married to one Middle Eastern man after another.
She said that she has been married 15 times, and each time she had to provide sexual companionship and services during the marriage.
In exchange for participating in this practice, she used to receive between $300 and $500. However, she highlighted the mental pain, physical abuse, and humiliation she had to endure in return.
Legal and religious debate over the marriage practice
Mut’ah Nikah, or ‘pleasure marriage,’ is a type of temporary marriage contract, which can be concluded verbally or in writing. This type of marriage was common in some specific branches of Islam, but many now consider it unacceptable.
The marriage is for a fixed period of time—sometimes as short as an hour, sometimes as long as 99 years. In this, the man pays the woman a certain amount of money.
There is disagreement among different sects of Islam—some reject it completely, while others partially approve. Critics consider it to be equivalent to illicit relations or prostitution.
Mut’ah Nikah is mainly practiced among the Shia community, and it is still legal and common in Shia-majority areas of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
It is not recognized by Indonesian law, as it is fundamentally against the concept of a permanent relationship. The practice is considered by many Islamic scholars to be a form of prostitution and poses a deep social and religious danger to Indonesian society.
Money and exploitation
This type of exploitative marriage may be somewhat beneficial to the local economy, but it is causing a major crisis in the lives of women.
While on the one hand, women want to make a quick buck, on the other hand, they are being physically and mentally exploited. Their human rights are being widely violated, and they are being socially abused.
Watch the video here.
@wekaypoh $300 for a temporary marriage contract. That’s the reality for some women in Indonesia’s tourist towns, entering “pleasure marriages” with foreign men to survive poverty. The practice is illegal, yet continues due to weak enforcement and corruption. #youth #Indonesia #sgnews #weKaypoh
More from Wake Up Singapore:
Russian Man Filmed Having Sex With Woman in a Pickup Truck in Phuket, Arrested in Bangkok Airport
Father, Two Sons Charged With Sexually Assaulting Underage Daughters in Malaysia
Man Arrested for Allegedly Attempting to Sexually Assault Elderly Woman with Dementia
If you have a story or a tip-off, email admin@wakeup.sg or get in touch via Whatsapp at 8882 5913.
Interested in advertising on our media channels? Reach out to us at admin@wakeup.sg!
Since you have made it to the end of the article, follow Wake Up Singapore on Telegram and X!
Wake Up Singapore is a volunteer-run site that covers alternative views in Singapore. If you want to volunteer with us, sign up here!
If you can, please do consider buying a mug or two to support Wake Up Singapore’s work!
