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Friday, June 16, 2006 12:00 AM

Should governments criminalize forced marriage?

A British Op-Ed says the failure to ban the practice is a betrayal of Asian women.

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  • Friday, June 16, 2006 01:29 PM

    Need a definition of forced marriage

    I mean, lots of people have parents who pressure them to get married, even to marry someone specific, just as people have parents who pressure them to go to certain schools, play certain sports, or enter certain professions. Short of the use of physical force (violence, imprisonment, kidnapping, threats, etc.), what is a forced marriage in the context of adults? Coercion usually implies threats or use of violence or other retribution to compel someone to act--if someone is just facing parental displeasure, have they really been forced to marry, however strong that displeasure is? The article writer said the problem was really common, but all his examples seemed to be people who were not subject to threats or force. They were just under lots of family pressure to get married. Should we send parents to prison for that?

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