Hundreds of 17-year-old girls have been brought to Australia to get married under a government visa program.
Figures show that more than two hundred 17-year-old girls were granted prospective spouse visas over the past five years – a figure child safety campaigners branded as shocking.
Hundreds more 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old women also received the visas after being sponsored by older men. The majority of the teenagers were from the Middle East or Southeast Asian countries.
One 17 year old from Thailand was brought out by a 57-year-old man, and a 17-year-old Iraqi girl was sponsored by a 50 -year-old.
More than 100 17 year olds from Lebanon were granted the visas after being sponsored by men aged 19 to 37.
Under the visa’s conditions, the girls must marry their sponsor within nine months. Australian laws only allow minors to be married in strictly-controlled circumstances, with court approval.
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