Family Narratives of Forced Marriage Survivors
The Impact of Family History on Leaving a Forced Marriage
Family pressure is one of the main coercive and abusive tactic used in forced marriage situations. The question arises as to how family history might affect a survivor’s choice and ability to leave a forced marriage.
In 2021, I interviewed four forced marriage survivors who left their marriages to explore how their family histories and how it impacted the survivors’ attempt(s) to leave the marriage.
This website includes interviews from forced marriage survivors who have left their marriages to provide further insight into survivors’ lived experiences and to understand the unique vulnerabilities faced by these women.
Research Question
How do survivors leave a forced marriage, and what role does family history play in hindering or facilitating a survivor in leaving?
Five Themes
The exploratory research resulted in five broad themes including: normalized abuse and violence, coercion and the question of consent, nontraditional experiences, education as a way out, and strength and resiliency.
Normalized Abuse & Violence
many survivors did not realize
growing up that they were being abused
Coercion & the Question of Consent
the circumstances of coercion faced by forced marriage survivors leading up to the marriage
Nontraditional Experiences
the unique experiences encountered
by the survivors that helped them
build their strength to leave their marriages
Education as a Way Out
the steps taken by the survivors in fighting for their autonomy and realizing the only way out of the marriage was through education
Strength
& Resiliency
