Most people don’t realize that forced marriage does not just happen to girls. In 2014, women were involved in 79% of cases, compared to men, who were only involved in 21% of cases (“Statistics”). Since the difference between the two is so great, is there a huge difference in why men are less targeted than women?
Azad is a young, Turkish man, and his real name has been changed to keep his identity safe. Ever since Azad was a small child, his parents expected him to marry one of his first cousins. His future bride’s family sent baby pictures of her with the words, “for my fiance,” written on the back (Elger). But Azad thought it was a joke. Before Azad was 18, he was married to his first cousin who was also the same age. But Azad never wanted …show more content…
And in “77%” of forced marriages, the father was the “perpetrator,” or the one who initiated the forced marriage. A man or woman may experience pressure from the community, religious leaders, or grandparents, rather than just the father or mother, although this is less common. Obviously forced marriage is a problem that exists all around the world, and can happen to anyone regardless of gender or race: with some people being more susceptible to it. It is much less common for men, which is why it is a hidden, unrecognized problem. Most people are not even aware of it, especially in the United States, or they think it only happens to …show more content…
If this happens, a family may think the only way to help their son return to the righteous way of living is to force them to marry an “unblemished” woman. The parent can prevent their child from marrying someone unfit or detrimental to their well being. Of course, in some instance, pairing them with someone who will help them make good choices can be beneficial. But if the victim doesn’t want to change, it can be harmful to the innocent spouse. It’s not fair to either of them because they have no choice in the marriage. There are better ways to help someone who has become involved in “drugs, burglaries, and gangs,” and forced marriage is not the answer (Elger).
When a man or woman resists a forced marriage, it does not mean standing ground and then hoping the topic of forced marriage is forever forgotten about. Sometimes the victim is mistreated with beatings or threats, but other “forms of social pressure may also be exerted, such as restrictions on lifestyle, oppressive financial control, food restriction and pressure to drop out of school” (Baker,
Azad is a young, Turkish man, and his real name has been changed to keep his identity safe. Ever since Azad was a small child, his parents expected him to marry one of his first cousins. His future bride’s family sent baby pictures of her with the words, “for my fiance,” written on the back (Elger). But Azad thought it was a joke. Before Azad was 18, he was married to his first cousin who was also the same age. But Azad never wanted …show more content…
And in “77%” of forced marriages, the father was the “perpetrator,” or the one who initiated the forced marriage. A man or woman may experience pressure from the community, religious leaders, or grandparents, rather than just the father or mother, although this is less common. Obviously forced marriage is a problem that exists all around the world, and can happen to anyone regardless of gender or race: with some people being more susceptible to it. It is much less common for men, which is why it is a hidden, unrecognized problem. Most people are not even aware of it, especially in the United States, or they think it only happens to …show more content…
If this happens, a family may think the only way to help their son return to the righteous way of living is to force them to marry an “unblemished” woman. The parent can prevent their child from marrying someone unfit or detrimental to their well being. Of course, in some instance, pairing them with someone who will help them make good choices can be beneficial. But if the victim doesn’t want to change, it can be harmful to the innocent spouse. It’s not fair to either of them because they have no choice in the marriage. There are better ways to help someone who has become involved in “drugs, burglaries, and gangs,” and forced marriage is not the answer (Elger).
When a man or woman resists a forced marriage, it does not mean standing ground and then hoping the topic of forced marriage is forever forgotten about. Sometimes the victim is mistreated with beatings or threats, but other “forms of social pressure may also be exerted, such as restrictions on lifestyle, oppressive financial control, food restriction and pressure to drop out of school” (Baker,