Where is the dividing line between a forced and an arranged marriage?

[MaleVictimhood3814]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/forced_marriages.shtml"Most cases do not involve physical force but emotional and psychological pressure (such as threats of and actual 'disownment') by the (extended) family to marry someone they have introduced and/or consider suitable. That person must be not only of the same ethnic group, but also the same religion and caste."http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/forcedmarriage/whatis.shtml"Victims often feel lonely and depressed. The suicide rate among Asian women in the UK is two to three times the national average, and it is suggested that this is partly a result of the weight of expectations on the role of women and their marriage expectations."Ro: "parents pressuring their child to marry someone he or she doesn't love simply because it will benefit the family" can very easily be an arranged marriage. This happens all the time and in many parts of the developing world. Marriage forges political alliances, resources are shared, etc. Its a business contract.My question is actually a quote by "Alan" whose post you can find in its entirety under the first link.

[ricardoxantos3990]

The only thing I can think of is when the marriage is arranged and the person agrees with it. It may or not be a happy marriage but if the person agreed to it, then its not forced.

[RebelYell]

If he/she accepts the arrangement, then it is not forced. I think I understand what you are saying. Cultural pressures can drive a sound mind into some strange (strange to me) things. Every culture has its developmental hurtles to overcome. Progress is slow, but evident.

[ZentheArtofMellie]

There doesn't seem to be a line, as from what I read you either do it or be banished from the family.How sad. I thought we were living in the 21st century and not the dark ages.My brother was engaged to a Vietnamese girl, and wound up breaking off the engagement. He was wary of doing it. Although the marriage wasn't arranged, it was a tradition of her culture to be disowned by her family for the man breaking it off, regardless of the reason for doing so. Luckily, her family broke with tradition and didn't disown her.

[LaelaLayla1134]

I see the division as something like this. The girl is told that she has to marry a certain person, that she has no choice in the matter; she puts up a hell of a fight so that on her wedding day no one let's her go out; when it's time to say the "I dos" and even though she says nothing at all and or refuses to sign the contract she's literally forced to; either by someone taking her forcibly by the hand and or she's threatened in someway. Let's take the same scenario; keep the beginning. But, when it comes to the wedding day she agrees to it despite the fact that she's been threatened. It's a very thin fine line, unless I feel and believe that physical force has been used and or she, forgot to mention it, was drugged; other than that how is it going to be proved; she'll need marks of some kind, the paper to show the stress in her hand writing; had her contract been signed, of course, if any was used; her signature would be relaxed as strained when forced..

[RoVale]

From what I understand, an arranged marriage usually means an agreement worked out years earlier by both sets of parents. They agree that their children will get married by the time they reach a certain age. A forced marriage has a much broader definition. It can mean a shotgun marriage, a polygamist sect leader deciding that an underage girl will marry an older man, or even parents pressuring their child to marry someone he or she doesn't love simply because it will benefit the family.

[Pookie0254]

I wonder if this is an issue of semantics. It starts as an "arranged marriage." If either of the parties (especially the woman, depending on the country and its traditions) choose not to marry, it *then* usually becomes a "forced marriage"

[Tarin]

Physical force or threat of violence.