05/23/2019 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) – In the Muslim-majority Indonesia, life could be challenging for Christians thanks to discrimination and persecution. But now, a new form of persecution seems to be on the rise — Christian girls are being targeted by Muslim men.
World Mission’s Greg Kelley told Mission Network News, “Influential leaders are literally training young men to target Christian girls to impregnate them.”
“They target them to try and sort of diffuse the spread of Christianity because the family of the Christian girl is so ashamed that…they’re forced into marrying that daughter into a Muslim family,” he said.
While this is not a common practice throughout the archipelago, it is becoming more frequent in countries like Indonesia.
Families of the victims face difficult situations because they feel shamed and because a dowry system is applied in Indonesia. Further, many Christian families are often impoverished. Knowing this, attackers would go to the families of the victims and say they will not make them pay a dowry for their daughters.
Left with no choice, they have to agree. The girls then enter into Muslim families, cut off from their loved ones or communities. While some are able to secretly preserve their faith, others are forced to give up their Christian beliefs.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
