PRISON OF INNOCENCE: CHILD MARRIAGES IN TURKEY

Child marriage is the marriage of individuals under the age of 18 who cannot yet meet the physiological and psychological requirements of marriage and cannot bear the responsibilities of raising a family. In the United Nations Convention on the Rights of The Child, everyone under the age of 18 is regarded as a child. In addition, from a psychological perspective, individuals between the ages of approximately 9-11 and up to the 20 are considered as adolescents. Therefore, it can be said that child marriage violates human rights and also it can be classified as child abuse.

Sep 19, 2024 - 19:31
Sep 23, 2024 - 16:26
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PRISON OF INNOCENCE: CHILD MARRIAGES IN TURKEY
PRISON OF INNOCENCE: CHILD MARRIAGES IN TURKEY

There are several reasons for the continued presence of child brides. If we consider family factors, we have the family’s socioeconomic status, domestic abuse and turmoil, marriage norms and acceptance in the family, sexist viewpoints, and religious convictions. Adolescents who flirt may be labeled as “shameful, sinful” by society, which puts pressure on them and causes stress and worry. In these ages where being approved by society is one of the most important things, adolescents who cannot be accepted by society perceive marriage as a solution. When a child is too young to get married in a civil ceremony, they may execute a religious marriage, or if they are older than 16, a civil ceremony may be conducted by their parents or a legal guardian. As a result, they start living in a way that is acceptable to the community. These weddings typically include wedding ceremonies, which is a sign that the family approves the marriage. 

In addition, understanding the non-familial causes of these processes is equally crucial. People who marry for diverse reasons, including love, peace or to get away from pressure, will face bigger issues later. People who become wives when still in their childhood are unable to relive their childhood and are compelled to stop their schooling. Despite psychological abuse from their parents, men in patriarchal societies face social pressure and the expectation that they mature quickly. Between a child who belongs to their parents and an adult who earns the family’s living, they become disoriented in their quest for individuality.

The situation evolves differently for women. Unaware of city life and other lifestyles, girls who are married for bride price and viewed as a financial burden go about their lives. The psychological effects of this circumstance, which are caused due to early pregnancy, social isolation and the denial of employment options for women, are severe. It is safe to conclude that women who are raped and then unexpectedly wed either their attacker or a different person, particularly in the spirit of “clearing the honor,” suffer greatly on a psychological level. Women, who have often been subjected to physical and emotional violence and abuse from their husbands and their husbands’ families since they got married, regret getting married at an early age due to the social pressure they are exposed to.

Child brides, who grew up with sayings such as “Let her get married and find her place,” “The girl is in the cradle, the dowry is in the chest.” “The one who marries early gets the offspring, the one who gets the early one gets the way,” and “A woman’s place is with her husband,” which are said in the patriarchal environment, are getting married by the decision makers in the society, that is, the father or another male family elder. Typically, the men they marry are older and more experienced than they are, putting them in a vulnerable and defenseless position in front of their husbands. Because they do not know how to protect themselves, women with limited sexual education face sexual difficulties, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Women who get pregnant while they are still children have greater rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, and maternal and infant mortality than adults. They also experience bleeding, anemia and high blood pressure. With stereotypes like “Married women do not walk on the street” perpetuated by society, the marriage that once seemed beautiful because of its ostentation and special attention to the bride turns into a source of dependency for the child bride as she becomes isolated from the outside world and experiences depressive symptoms. 

The news does not always report child marriages truthfully. Articles like “She got married at 15, and died at 22,” use single pronouns to imply that the weddings occurred at the children’s choice. Given the statistics, which indicate that men typically wed the women they love and that women typically marry early on the advice of their families, it is clear that both the individual and his surroundings are responsible for the consequences. 

When both wives in a child marriage are asked if they would marry young again if given the chance, the majority of them say no. People’s expectations of their partners become clearer as they age. When there are spouses who do not meet these expectations, consequences such as dissatisfaction, domestic violence and divorce may occur. On the other hand, those who marry young and drop out of school are unable to give their children a good education. Children raised in this atmosphere are likely to believe that marriage at a young age is normal, especially since individuals’ own families consider it normal.

Initiatives like “Baba Beni Okula Gönder” (Daddy, Send Me to School) and “Haydi Kızlar Okula!” (Come on Girls, Go to School!) are carried out in Turkey in collaboration with UNICEF with the goal of educating children; nevertheless, they are not enough. Since child marriages are unofficial and hence impossible to track, other methods to monitor and prevent them should be implemented, along with increased encouragement for children to get an education. In the education given to children, it should be explained that the concept of child marriage and its consequences, contrary to popular belief, have many negative effects, and thus the rates of child marriage may be reduced to some extent.

 

References

Acar Ağar, B., Durmuş, E. & Çelik, M. (2024). Eğitsel, Sosyal ve Psikolojik Bir Sorun: Çocuk Evliliklerde “Gelin” ve “Damat” Olmak. Academia Eğitim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 9(1), 34-36.

Boran, P., Gökçay, G., Devecioğlu, E. & Eren, T. (2013). Çocuk gelinler. Marmara Medical Journal, 26(2), 58-62

Duman, N. & Coşkun, B. N. (2019). “Çocuk Yaşta Evlilik” ya da “Çocuk Gelin” Olgusuna Psikososyal Bir Bakış. Uluslararası Bilimsel Araştırmalar Dergisi, 4(2), 267-276.

Kaynak Malatyalı, M. (2014). Türkiye’de ‘Çocuk Gelin’ Sorunu. Nesne Psikoloji Dergisi, 27-38

 

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Selin Ülküden Merhaba, ben Selin. Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Psikoloji bölümü öğrencisiyim. Kendimi geliştirmek için yaptığım birçok şeyden biri olarak burada hem Türkçe hem İngilizce olarak makaleler yazıyorum.