Marielys Ramirez

Fiction Novel Piece

Mr. Flugum
5/26/2015
A Girl Caught in Modern Slavery
Slavery can take different forms of control. Three different examples of this can be found
in the novel, Hidden Girl by Shyima Hall. The types of issues shown are child-labor, maledominated family structures, and the problems and outsider can face. It is a social issue that has
plagued the world and needs to be solved.
The first issue that readers can connect to the novel is child-labor. According to Kim
Gengler, in her article, Human Trafficking in Minnesota, she provides a frightening statistic
Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States each year (Gengler).
Hall also states, In the United States only 2 percent of those who are held in bondage are
eventually rescued (Hall 23). The statistics about slavery are terrifying because most people
believe this problem only occurs in other countries, but they are close to home. The dictionarys
definition of slavery is a civil relationship where one person has absolute power over another
and controls his life, liberty, and fortune" (Collins Dictionary). According Laura Sheahen in her
article, Fighting Modern-Day Slavery in India, she states, "We didn't know what was
happening in the places they went, says a mother in the small village of Dhekhitoli, India. We
thought everything was going well (Sheahen). Most girls in under developed countries, through
the age of 13 to 17, are often offered a good job as a maid in the big city. Nevertheless, what

seems like a big trip to the city often becomes a nightmare. These children are often beaten,
sexually abused, and only get paid a small wage of as low as 20 dollars a month. Most of the
young girls and boys who are brought into slavery are not educated; they think that this is the life
that they are supposed to have. In the novel, Shyima Hall was brought into slavery by both of her
parents; her captor then had total control over her. She could not go or do what she wanted and if
she did not obey the orders, she would be punished. Shyima is an Egyptian girl with no
education and because of this she did not know that what they were doing to her was wrong.
Male-dominated family structures play a large role in the book Hidden Girl. Shyima and
her Islamic beliefs did not let her live the childhood the she desired. As a Muslim, you have to
follow what the man of the house says. In Shyimas case, if she did not do what she was told she
would be beaten. She had to grow up watching her mom get beat for practically no reason, but
there was nothing either of them could do about it. Shyima writes, No one had ever talked to me
about not letting other touch my private parts. In fact, I wasn't even sure it was wrong when my
brothers did (Hall 6). She felt like her brothers were becoming just like her dad, dominate and
controlling males. Anne Reifenberg interviewed Sharif, an Egyptian woman that is married to a
Muslim man, states, "I know a good woman must do anything her husband says, or he can beat
her or throw her in the streets. This is the right way. It keeps order. A woman who doesn't obey
her husband, God will send her to hell (Chicago Tribune). Muslim women in most cases have
no ownership over their decisions or actions.

Society in first-world countries are becoming more concerned on looks, the way a person
speaks, popularity status, and these are some problems an outsider can face. After being rescued
from slavery, Shyima moved to California and was bullied. She was bullied in school because of
her accent and the way she looked. Dosomething.org is an organization against bullying and
wants to change the world, it states, Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each
year. 1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene 4% of the time
(Do Something). Shyima writes, They are desperate to fit in, and those who do not mold to the
cookie-cutter image of everyone else are picked on. That was me (Hall 107). Head coverings
are a piece of Muslim culture, so Shyima wore one. Her foster family was also very strong to
their faith. This was difficult for Hall because she was bullied, pushed, and pinched every day.
However, this did not stop Shyima from attending school and becoming the person she hoped to
be.
In the novel Hidden Girl, by Shyima Hall, the difficult topics of child-labor, maledominated family structures, and the problems and outsider can face are brought up. These issues
do not simply happen only happen in book. They are happening right now in the world and
people need to do something about it before it is too late. Simply becoming educated is a little
thing readers can do to better the situation.

Bibliography
"Casework: Forced Labor Slavery." International Justice Mission. N.p., 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 25
May 2015.
"Child Labor." Child Labor. N.p., 2015. Web. 25 May 2015.
Gengler, Kim. "Human Trafficking in Minnesota." Minnesota Women's Press. Minnesota
Women's Press, Inc, 2015. Web. 25 May 2015.
"Pioneers in Dictionary Publishing since 1819." Definition of slavery. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May
2015.
Reifenberg, Anne. "To Muslim Women, Male Dominance Holy."Chicago Tribune.
N.p., 20 May 1993. Web. 25 May 2015.
Sheahen, Laura. "Fighting Modern-Day Slavery in India." Catholic Relief Services. N.p., 2015.
Web. 25 May 2015.
"11 Facts About Bullying." Dosoemthing.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 25 May 2015.