Today in India is a celebration called Akshaya Tritiya, a Hindu and Jain holy day which is marked by mass marriages. But human rights supporters in India, such as UNICEF, are using the day to draw attention to a less jubilant topic: child brides. Child marriage is officially illegal in India, but that hasn’t stopped too many families from marrying off their young daughters ages 5 to 12 to older “grooms” — which is another way of saying sex slavery. Today, the Wall Street Journal points out one of the more controversial of the anti-child marriage campaigns, called The Girl Store, a website set up to look like an online retailer that advertises “100 percent genuine girls. Young. Innocent. And available. Experience the sensation of buying a girl.” Keep reading »
