In one of the poorest countries in Asia, young men struggle to pay the price families ask in order to marry their daughters. Although banned during the years of Soviet occupation and officially outlawed in 1994, bride kidnapping is on the rise in the Kyrgyz Republic.
The origins of this cultural practice are as nebulous as public opinion is varied. FRONTLINE reporters spoke to escaped would-be brides, happily married couples and young grooms on the prowl to learn more.
It seems that many believe the practice is morally wrong and a violation of human rights. Proponents argue that virtually all marriages in the Kyrgyz Republic are arranged anyways and most kidnappings are negotiated with the bride's family beforehand - even though FRONTLINE interviewed several families who did not know about the kidnapping ahead of time and at least one bride-seeking man who kidnapped a young woman right after he met her for the first time.
In one of the poorest countries in Asia, young men struggle to pay the price families ask in order to marry their daughters. Although banned during the years of Soviet occupation and officially outlawed in 1994, bride kidnapping is on the rise in the Kyrgyz Republic.
The origins of this cultural practice are as nebulous as public opinion is varied. FRONTLINE reporters spoke to escaped would-be brides, happily married couples and young grooms on the prowl to learn more.
It seems that many believe the practice is morally wrong and a violation of human rights. Proponents argue that virtually all marriages in the Kyrgyz Republic are arranged anyways and most kidnappings are negotiated with the bride's family beforehand - even though FRONTLINE interviewed several families who did not know about the kidnapping ahead of time and at least one bride-seeking man who kidnapped a young woman right after he met her for the first time.