The Different forms Domestic Violence can take
Difference between Forced Marriage and Arranged Marriage
Forced Marriage is an abuse of Human Rights and a form of Domestic Violence as well as being categorised as child abuse. A forced marriage is one without the valid consent of one or both people and where pressure or abuse is used.
An arranged marriage is not the same as forced marriage, in an arranged marriage, elders of the family play a leading role in selecting the marriage partner but the choice whether to enter the marriage is left to both people.
In some cases, people may be taken abroad without knowing that they are to be married. When they arrive in the country their passport, money and other relevant documents may be taken by their family to try to stop them from returning home.
The pressure put on people to marry against their will can be physical (including threats or actual physical violence) or emotional and often the victim is made to feel they are bringing shame on their family.
We need to educate ourselves, our mothers and our sisters, why violence and forced marriages are not acceptable – under any circumstances. Young ethnic women brought up in this country are most vulnerable and are more likely to the subject of forced marriage or similar abuse. Normally the parents are more worried about relatives being upset by not having an alliance through their children, rather than what is better for their children and their happiness.
A girl brought up in a liberal environment and married to a husband who is ill prepared in the marriage, can react violently towards her. Subsequently, because many of these men can be family relatives, the girl may suffer years of abuse before taking any action to break away from the situation. If there are children involved, then it’s even harder for her to take steps to protect her children herself.
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