Why Women From Myanmar Are Being Sold as Brides in China
When you read about the massive sex imbalance in China—about 33 million more men than women since the one‑child policy loomed—many will snap to the idea of bride‑sales booming across the border.
Who’s Really Being Traded?
A new Johns Hopkins study shocked the headlines by revealing 7,500 women from Kachin and northern Shan in Myanmar have fallen into the trap of forced marriage in China. Past of chaos and poverty pushes them out, while China’s rural demand for spouses pushes them back in.
The Human Cost
- Most trafficked women are coerced into carrying their husband’s child right off the bat.
- One survivor confessed being trafficked three times, each stint “pushing” her into giving birth.
- Young brides—often under 18—can fetch between $10,000–$15,000 in smuggler markets.
Who Are These Women Meeting?
Matchmakers dip into rural China’s pool of older, disabled, or otherwise “undesirable” men—fellow folks who are rarely the target of mainstream Han Chinese marriage circles. Without proper docs, these women find themselves legally stranded, sharing lives that feel more like hostage contracts than marriages.
Consent—or the Lack Thereof
Researchers cautioned that while some unions may appear consensual, the reality is a complex mesh where fear and coercion are the ingredients. Dr. W. Courtland Robinson insists that any marriage should happen free of “threat, menace or penalty.”
What Needs to Happen?
- Stop the conflict in Kachin and Shan so women don’t have to flee in the first place.
- Equip Myanmar’s anti‑trafficking officers with training and the will to enforce laws.
- Recognize these women as victims, not criminal extras, and pull them out of legal limbo.
