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National scene: Polygamy app attracts 56,000 members

A Tinder-style dating app for polygamists has sparked controversy in Indonesia, but its developer says he “just wants to help” unmarried middle-aged women

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Wed, October 4, 2017 Published on Oct. 4, 2017 Published on 2017-10-04T00:31:24+07:00

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National scene: Polygamy app attracts 56,000 members

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Tinder-style dating app for polygamists has sparked controversy in Indonesia, but its developer says he “just wants to help” unmarried middle-aged women.

Indonesian law defines marriage as between a man and a woman but polygamy is tolerated in certain circumstances, despite being generally frowned upon.

Ayo Poligami, loosely translated as “let’s go polygamy,” is a free smartphone app that matches married and single Muslim men with women who want to create “big families.”

It has attracted more than 56,000 members since its launch in April, according to developer Lindu Cipta Pranayama.

But women’s rights campaigners have criticized the app, warning of a strong link between polygamy and domestic violence.

“Due to the controversy, I initially wanted to permanently shut down the site. However, when I saw many women in their 40s or 50s who are still virgins and unmarried I decided to keep it,” Lindu told AFP Tuesday.

“Can you image being in your 40s or 50s but never having been touched by a man?” added the 35-year-old, who created the app after failing to find a wife on several dating sites.

Men who apply to one of the country’s Islamic courts, which have jurisdiction over marriage, are able to take a second wife under certain circumstances.

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