A new report from the Association of Victims of Abduction and Forced Disappearance (AVAFD) states that more than 550 Egyptian Christian women and girls have been kidnapped since 2011. The kidnapped women are then forced to adopt Islam and marry their captors.
The AVAFD reported that the women’s ages ranged from 14 to 40. Many of the women are raped; many are not even sought after by police. Authorities instead claim the women left their families by choice.
Police did not get involved with 14-year-old Nadia Makram’s case, though her family told police the name of her captor.
AVAFD founder, Ebram Louis said that kidnappings have increased in Egypt since Hosni Mubarak fell from power. "Before the revolution, five or six girls would disappear each month. Now the average is 15."
Publication date: June 17, 2014
