Education as a Way Out
Survivors shared having to follow through with said marriage, to fulfill as well as cultural and familial roles, which expectations, made pursuing their educational and professional dreams initially impossible to achieve. Survivors expressed having said they had to overcome their cultural and family histories to achieve a better life for themselves and find the inner strength to escape from their marriages. Education was one way they were able to achieve this.
A Survivor's Story
An adult forced marriage survivor from the Jewish Orthodox community describes focusing on getting a college education as way out of her marriage when her family refused to help her out of the marriage. As a result, her family shunned her.
What Service Providers Should Know
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Educators can play a critical role in recognizing when a student may be facing a crisis and can be a trusted resource that a student can turn to for help.
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When working with a student who may be facing a forced marriage reassure them that they have the right to choose whether, when, and whom to marry and that it is not a “cultural issue”.
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Educators should consider offering special accommodations and supports to survivors to help achieve their education to help alleviate the obstacles they face.