"ARRANGED MARRIAGES EXAMINED"

Arranged marriages can be described as a marriage wherein the parties (bride and groom)are sort of matched by parents or guardians. These kind of unions are common in parts of Africa and Asia. In Africa, however, the practice is not so common today, as it was in the past. In the past, in certain communities, the couple was matched from as early as infanthood or from birth. Today, certain cultures in Asia still practice the culture of arranged marriages extensively.

HOW ARE ARRANGED MARRIAGES DONE? DISADVANTAGES OF ARRANGED MARRIAGES

THE DISADVANTAGE OF ARRANGED-MARRIAGE

When a marriage is arranged for the parties, parents are usually the ones picking and choosing, rather than the boy or the girl. Sometimes girls are forced to marry someone while they are still in their teens - simply because of their social and financial status. It would be the person that the parents thinks is much suited to their daughter and the daughter doesn't have much of a choice in that regard.

THE IMPACT OF AN ARRANGED OR FORCED MARRIAGE

The woman is usually the one that is most underprivileged in the marriage. The man might be older and more financially powerful than the woman. Infact, the man is able to pick the girl he wants and speak to the girl's parents about having her hand in marriage. If the parents agree, she is gone.

Often times, the man is so abusive that the woman cannot force herself to love him even if she tried. It gets to be a real problem since the woman has to live with someone they don't love, look after them and bear their children.

Choosing a life partner for somebody is something that has worked for some people, but certainly never worked for a lot of other people. Some people, especially women, would stay for the sake of making the parents happy, while others would run away from their husbands, at the expense of their relationships with their parents. That's how bad an arranged marriage could be.

You may also be interested in these articles:

ARRANGED MARRIAGES OFTEN BREED RESENTMENT: HOW TO DEAL WITH RESENTMENT

Visit the relationship forums and share your story

COMMUNICATION IS NORMALY A PROBLEM IN AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE

MOST WOMEN IN ARRANGED OR FORCED MARRIAGES BECOME TEEN MOTHERS

MARRIED WOMEN WHO CHEAT

FROM ARRANGED-MARRIAGES TO DIVORCE PARTIES

Changing you last name can be difficult, especially in an arranged marriage

LEARN HOW TO SET BOUNDARIES IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP