Phenomenon of Unregistered Marriage in Teenagers in Indonesia: A Case Study of the Madurese Community in Situbondo

Abstract

Unregistered marriage (‘sirri marriage’) is widespread in Indonesian society, and this social phenomenon can be considered a form of disharmony in society. Even though sirri marriages have a negative impact, especially for women and children, they are still commonly found in Indonesia, including in Situbondo Regency, East Java. This study used a phenomenological approach. The research subjects were fifteen teenage girls who were married by unregistered marriage in Situbondo Regency. The research was conducted through interviews and observations. The data were analyzed using qualitative techniques. The results demonstrated that unregistered marriage was interpreted as an effort to avoid sin, as certainty in a relationship, and as an economic solution. Unregistered marriages, with the perception of cultural and religious legitimacy, which are often early marriages, have implications for the development of the family. One of the consequences of an early marriage is that the young couple is still totally dependent on their parents. These early unregistered marriages force children to drop out of school and become underage workers. Unregistered marriages also lead to divorce, and divorce rates are soaring. Divorce occurs because the young couple is not ready to manage conflicts in the household due to immaturity.
 Keywords: unregistered marriage, phenomenology, teenagers, economy

Disharmony of Sirri Marriage Registration Regulation on the Family Card (Analyzing The Ministry of Interior Affairs’ Regulation No. 9/2016)

“…1 of 1974, there was Law no. 22 14 Marriage registration as explained in the Marriage Law has many purposes, ther are: orderly administration, as a guarantee for obtaining certain rights such as birth certificates, identity card, family card, and others, in addition to providing protection for marital status and providing protection for Civil rights resulting from marriage. 15 About the Technical registration of marriages is also regulated in government regulation no.…”

“…21 There are many factors that can be presented as reasons and backgrounds for sirri marriages in Indonesia. 22 Abdul Basir mentions three reasons for the occurrence of sirri marriages, they are: age limits that are not strictly regulated by Fiqh, public knowledge of the law and parents' concerns about their children. Pardianto also put forward several allegations as to the background of sirri marriages,: Economic factors due to colliding with party costs and the cost of registering marriages at the Religious Affairs Office, deliberately not registering to hide from other legal provisions.…”

Sharia-Based Customs in Unregistered Marriage Rules (Case Study in Rambatan Village, West Sumatra)

“…6 In line with that, Susilo et al also studied the phenomenon of unregistered marriage among young people in Situbondo. 7 In another study, the implications of the practice of the unregistered marriage were examined specifically. Latifiani, for example, examined the consequences of unregistered marriages for wives and children based on the legal system in Indonesia.…”