But when I think about the awful things I witnessed, I know revealing the truth was worth it. With no knowledge that my hidden camera is rolling, he is more than happy to find me a year-old temporary bride — for a fee, of course.
My secret camera is cupped in my hand, pointed directly at his face. I lean back in my chair feigning nonchalance. I was familiar with the concept of temporary marriages, and unfortunately child marriage is not uncommon in certain countries in the Middle East , including Iraq. But what really shocks me is discovering there are men who combine the two, preying on girls and young women displaced by the fighting in Mosul or who have fled their own abusive families, only to then cast them off in the street afterwards.
The women and girls had experienced such horrors it defies description. Could the film finally force some accountability onto the corrupt clerics, and put an end to their disgusting dealings? A few days later, I was scrolling through some of the YouTube comments on the Arabic-language version.
It was all worth it to bring the truth to light. The author is an undercover BBC reporter. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the journalists? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more.
Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium.
