Teenage marriage
Teenage marriage is the union of two adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19. Many factors contribute to teenage marriage, such as love, teenage pregnancy, religion, security, wealth, family, peer pressure, arranged marriage, economic and/or political reasons, social advancement, and cultural reasons. Studies have shown that teenage married couples are often disadvantaged, may come from broken homes, may have little education, and work in low-status jobs in comparison with those that marry after adolescence. [1]
A majority of teenage marriages may suffer from complications, with many ending in divorce. In the United States, half of teenage marriages dissolve within 15 years of the marriage. The rate of teenage marriage is on a decreasing trend, perhaps due to the many new options that are available to those considering teenage marriage.
In the 21st century, teenage marriage is largely unrecognized or illegal in most countries, as most laws classify it as child abuse.[2] Teenage marriage continues to be most prevalent in culturally or geographically isolated parts of the world, and it seems to be decreasing in areas where modern ideas of education are prevalent within the population.
Background[edit]
The legal status of circumstances surrounding teenage marriage varies from one geographical area or chronological era to the next. Marriage has often been used as a tool to create allegiances or agreements, rather than an emotional union between two people. Almost every country has a legal minimum age for marriage, which can range from 12 in some Latin American countries to 22 in China. The age requirement is most commonly 16 for women and 18 for men. Despite laws concerning the age of marriage, tradition may usually take precedence, and marriage can continue to take place at younger ages. In many African and Asian countries, as many as two-thirds of teenage women are or have been married. In many nations, the marriage of a young daughter could ease a family's economic position, or alleviate concerns over illegitimate children, considered a dishonor to the family in some cultures. However, younger brides can often suffer physical and/or psychological damage, according to a UNICEF report. Historically in Western culture, marriages have been performed at a later age, with an emphasis on the nuclear family.[3] The percentage of women aged 15–19 who are married in the United States is 3.9%, while in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the percentage is 74%. In the U.S., teenage marriages declined significantly after the mid-20th century but underwent a resurgence in the 1990s, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Census data from 2000 show that 4.5% of U.S. 15- to 19-year-olds were married, up from 3.4% in 1990. While this was an increase of almost 50%, it was still far below the 9.5% recorded in 1950.[4]
Religious aspect[edit]
The article Religious Heritage and Teenage Marriage suggests that many religions, such as Pentecostalism, Fundamentalist Christianity, and other institutionalized sects, give a message that leads both parents and teens to view early marriage as the only acceptable means of culminating romantic relationships within the religion. It also became a tradition for the first generation. [6]
Results and consequences[edit]
Consequences[edit]
According to the book of Eleanor H. Ayer, another situation that could lead teenagers to an early marriage is often unprotected sex, which can lead to pregnancy.[8] Other factors that could also lead to early marriage are love, lust, fear of losing their partner, abuse, extreme parental control, sexual harassment and broader family difficulties.