Forced marriage: an analysis of legislation and political measures in Europe

Abstract

Forced marriage is of current international concern in Europe. As many cases involve a transnational component linked to migration, it is increasingly receiving attention at the government level. The serious consequences for women, including sexual violence, and the physical and psychological health risks associated with it, seem to receive little consideration. Recent years have seen a rise in initiatives and measures taken by policy makers throughout Europe. As the focus is placed on criminalization and stringent immigration policies, ethnic minority population groups bear the greatest burden. It is argued that specific criminal laws make it more difficult for victims to come forward, while offering very little or no protection in return. The widespread 21-year age rule in immigration law has been denounced by scholars, institutes and magistrates alike for infringing on the fundamental human right to family life guaranteed by article 8 ECHR. The discourse on forced marriage appears to have reached a crossroads. European governments are faced with the challenge to create policies that protect and support victims, while simultaneously cracking down on perpetrators and safeguarding their borders from abuses in obtaining visas. There is a very pressing need to work more closely with those at risk, involving service provisions to directly support them, instead of a one-side top-down policy framework through which minority communities feel targeted and stigmatized

Child brides or child labor in a worst form?

“…(Becker, ; Cloward, ; Erkan et al, ). Furthermore, as suggested by Sabbe, Temmerman, Brems, and Leye () in their critique of the legal approach to forced marriage in the United Kingdom, laws that take a criminalization approach can be used to target immigrant groups and result in driving the issue underground.…”

Criminalization of forced marriage: Experiences of some European countries

“…Принудно закључење брака се уопштено може одредити као закључење брака противно вољи једне или обеју страна, настало услед примене принуде. У питању је веома сложена друштвена појава, која може бити повезана са појединим обичајним и традиционалним праксама, као што су уговорени, рани односно дечји бракови, уз ограду да се између наведених појава не може увек поставити знак једнакости (Sabbe, Temmerman, Brems, Leye, 2014: 173, Ganoli, Mc Carry, Razak, 2009: 418-429, Enright, 2009: 331-359, Beck-Gersheim, 2011. Такође, и у теорији и у пракси уочено је да се принудно закључење брака јавља као сегмент шире друштвене патологије, јер често "иде под руку" са насиљем у породици, исто као што се може појавити и као један од циљева или облика експлоатације у оквиру трговине људима (Mattar, 2002: 730, Мијалковић, 2005: 39, Chantler, 2012.…”

The adjustment process of young Bedouin women who were child brides

“…They are overwhelmed by having to manage a household, cope with a marital relationship they did not choose, and meet the husband's sexual demands despite their lack of experience and sexual and emotional maturity. They suffer from social isolation, with no social access to children their age, and often they have no social support (Sabbe, Temmerman, Brems, & Leye, 2014). The divorce rate in such marriages is higher than that among couples who were adults when they married (Mies & Hoko, 2018).…”