Since bridal abduction has been and still is another form of
marriage in some parts of the world, South Africa included. I have seen the
importance of discussing this form of marriage as it has been and in some
places still is a controversial topic. I
have found that the underlying reason behind this is that it borders on the
line of what is considered a custom/ cultural practice and what is regarded as
abuse/ against the law and human rights.
I have thus decided to start off with a broader view point
so as to see what thread and patterns are common in the practice that it can form part of
cultures which are worlds apart. It will be important to note that bridal
abduction is slightly different from forced marriage, although both in essence
deny the woman or in some cases the girl the right to choose to marry. However
bridal abduction/ ukutwala is far more brutal as the girl is literally abducted
and has no previous knowledge she is to marry, but is suddenly kidnapped and
taken home by strangers to be then told she has become someone’s wife. At this
stage of the research, I have taken the stance of being “on the fence”; so as
to best represent all views concerning the topics on which I will be
researching. As I feel that this will not taint the information gathered, and
will thus help me capture the story more holistically.
The above video, is a Special Assignment segment of the topic of bridal abduction.
