The ‘open secret’ of abused Hmong child brides goes public in Minnesota law suit

[brer cat]

A few paragraphs cannot tell this story of child rape, forced marriage, and abuse. I hope that US courts can give this now young woman justice. She is suing for monetary damages, but I wish she could nail him for rape.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/28/the-open-secret-of-abused-hmong-child-brides-goes-public-in-minnesota-law-suit/

When a 14-year-old Vang received an invitation to go to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, she believed she was auditioning for a music video.

snip

After Vang arrived, she was introduced to the 43-year-old Thiawachu Prataya, who said her new clothes were waiting in a suitcase in his hotel room.

It was there that she claims in a lawsuit that he raped her. When she attempted to run away that night, she alleged in the suit, he captured her and raped her again. She says she bled, cried and pleaded to no avail until she was finally allowed to return home. Some months later, after learning that Vang was pregnant with his child, Prataya forced her into a marriage, her lawyer said.

snip

After Vang settled in Minnesota with her child in 2007, Prataya allegedly continued to force her into sexual relations with him by seizing her immigration documents and threatening to take their baby away from her, according to the lawsuit. Their cultural marriage — one that isn’t legally recognized — wasn’t broken off until 2011, when Vang obtained a protective order against Prataya.

[exboyfil]

1. Then they are not leaders

They will never figure out their place in our culture if they don't talk about it and not do something about it. Are these children in the school system? Can additional resources be brought to the school system to help protect them?

Why hasn't he been charged for rape in the U.S.? It says he forced sex upon a minor in the state of Minnesota in addition to Laos.


"Local Hmong leaders, who are aware of the problem but at a loss for a solution, have told Her, “We shouldn’t talk about it out loud.” To do so would bring shame onto a community that’s still figuring out its place in America."

[brer cat]

2. Silence gives support to the rapists and abusers.

That statement jumped out at me also. I don't know enough about the culture of the Hmong to speculate on why their leaders aren't leading, but keeping silent to avoid "bringing shame" is abhorrent to me.

[uppityperson]

4. Welcome to DU. You seem to know more details than this study gives, do you know the people involved?

As it states in the story, raping a child is "Whatever I’m doing is right in Laos".
Where does it say she changed her age, of her parents were paid $500,000?

Do you realize that even if child take is OK in Laos, having sex with a child is a crime in the USA? Even if a 12 or 14 yr does not object, it is a crime for the adukt to have sex with them as the choir is legally unable to consent.



Are you seriously saying a 14 yr old set this up so she could come to the USA? That many girls fool foreigners who don't bother training the time to check that they are of legal agree before raping then? That the" real" victim is the men?