The Truth About Arranged Marriages

The Truth about Arranged Marriages Shockingly, arranged marriages still take place in many countries. It has existed since ancient times and the process has continued to develop. To this day it still is one of the most controversial subjects out there, “critics and proponents of arranged marriages both agree that true love it the main component for a happy marriage and family” (arranged marriages). The purpose of my paper is that arranged marriages are immoral and that each woman should have the right to marry who they want, no matter where they live or what their cultures believe in. To this day, these types of marriages happen all over the world, “arranged marriages make up vastly the higher percentage in human history” (Isaac). India is one of the largest centers where child marriages take place. In, Africa and China the children have absolutely no say on whom they are going to marry. However, in Africa, the practice of arranged marriages isn’t as commonly used as it used to be. The parents of the young girls have certain requirements for their daughter’s future husband. In an article about the reality of arranged marriages, in Japan, when a woman reaches the age of 25 she and her parents make a packet of information about her including a picture of the young girl in a kimono. They also include a description of her family’s background, education, hobbies, accomplishments and interests. After they assemble this packet, the parents go search for a man for their daughter and see if he makes the requirements for their daughter. They’re many reasons why arranges marriages take place, “property or land with the aim of securing social status seals marriage agreements (Savage). Poverty is the main cause for many child marriages. Either the wealthy husband pays a large sum for the bride, or the father of the young bride wants one less child to support, so he gives her away. In Pakistan some arranged marriages take place to pay off a crime. In Japan, they feel by outlawing arranged marriages means that you are taking away their opportunities of being with someone who has the same background in religion, social status, education, and sometimes even financial conditions. The parents in Japan feel that marriage is something that affects the whole family rather than a matter concerning only the young people. The loss of innocence is another big factor of arranged marriages. It takes the enjoyment away of being a kid. Many people believe that arranged marriages are traumatizing for the victims, “it places the responsibility of adulthood at a very young age” (Brooks). Some girls as young as 3-4 are entered into an arranged marriage. When the young girls are put in arranged marriages, they are deprived of any chance to be educated or be exposed to any other lifestyle which causes them to be underdeveloped. Arranged marriages place too much responsibility on children. They don’t have time to be a child; there main concern is being a wife or in many cases, a mother.
If the girls try to escape from their husbands, they are publicly beaten severely, “the punishment that the girls who try to escape in Kabul, Afghanistan have to encounter, is being struck with as much force as possible by their husband with a leather strap (escaping marriage but not lashes). Girls as young as 9 have to be brought to the hospital to get treatment for their beatings and being sexually abused, “the young girls have no idea what marriage means, so when they are sexually assaulted they are terrified (Yemen nine and ten).

Works Cited
“Arranged Marriages Examined: Often Painful, Seldom Successful.” Relationships & Affairs Web Wednesday Nov. 17 2010
“A Young Girl’s Fight for Freedom from Family, Religion and Society.” Africa News Service March 8, 2010 Gale Student Resources in Context Web. Tuesday Oct. 5, 2010
Brooks Kate. “Child Marriage.” Corbis, May, 1 2001. Web Thursday Oct. 21, 2010
Dudley William “Preface to what is the Status of Women Islam?’’ Green haven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web October 15 2010
“Escaping Marriage, But Not Lashes. “The New York Times, May 31 2010 Web Thursday Oct. 21, 2010
Issac Sebastian. “Arranged Marriages.” Idebate.org, Wednesday Nov. 13, 2002 Web Thursday Nov. 4, 2010
Montagne Renee. “Arranged Marrige: Trapped Between Two Cultures.” Morning Edition Oct. 14 2008. Web. Thursday Oct. 15, 2010
Sam Monibo A, “Arranged Marriage: Change or Persistence? Illustrative Cases of Nigerian in the USA.” Journal of Comparative Family Studies 2009. Web Friday Oct. 15 2010
Savage Lacey “The Reality of Arranged Marriages.” Article & alley Nov. 22, 2005 Web Thursday Nov. 4, 2010
“Yemen Nine-and-Ten-Year-Old Girls Forced Into Marriage, Fight for Divorce.” Off our Backs July 2008. Gale Students Resources in Context. Web October 15, 2010