Sold into marriage at age 12
In many traditional Roma communities, young girls and boys are forced into marriages arranged by their families. Traditionally, the young girl moves in with her husband's family and begins taking on household duties, guided by her mother-in-law. In the Roma community of Babadag, Romania, these arranged marriages are a common practice. When she was 12, Bairam Geta's family sold her to into marriage. Community and family pressures are so great on these children to marry, that it is a difficult practice to change.
!["Gypsies are better than Romanians", says Mariana, a 27-year old Romanian woman, who lives in a Roma community. She started to write letters to Catalin while he was in prison, on behalf of his parents ...](http://roma.glocalstories.org/media/mm_cache/mm_photos/sledford_intermarriage__thumbnail_image.jpg ""Gypsies are better than Romanians", says Mariana, a 27-year old Romanian woman, who lives in a Roma community. She started to write letters to Catalin while he was in prison, on behalf of his parents ...")
