Child marriage occurs all around the world and should be restricted. In foreign countries, girls as young as 4 years old are married off to men who are considerably older. Families think that by marrying off their children, it is a logical solution for solving whatever problems they may have. In the case of the child, this is not a win-win situation.

 Many religions and cultures that marry their children off to strangers do so because they believe that it will help to control sexuality, strengthen family links, and achieve financial gain.

 In the United Kingdom, a teen named Reviva was immediately forced into a marriage with a man once her family found out  she was gay. Her family tried exorcism and violence when she resisted being put into a heterosexual marriage and encouraged that she commit suicide. Reviva escaped from this abuse with the help of the LGBT Forced Marriage Project, which is just one of the many organizations that help children in forced marriages.

 Another reason for parents marrying off their children so early is to strengthen their family links and to achieve financial gain. Poor families in developing countries see that marrying their daughters off to wealthy men would help the rest of their family.  Senior Amani McKenzie said, “I think it is absolutely awful what is happening and that children should not be forced to do obscene things, especially like marrying people 3 times their age. They should have a chance to actually be kids. I also think that the government should be more aware and involved in the well being of their citizens by paying closer attention to what is going on and trying their hardest to stop it. One last thing, with all due respect to anyone’s culture and religion, but some things do not fit as well with the modern age as it did when things were first being set.”

 Even though these cultures believe that arranged, forced marriages are positive, there are also negative factors that need to be considered. Forced marriages often lead to pregnancy in children. Studies show that pregnancy is a large factor among the leading causes of death for girls ages 15 to 19. These children also face a higher risk of getting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases due to often being married to older men with sexual experience. Child brides under the age of 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence than those that marry later. Girls like these were found twice as likely to report being beaten, raped, or threatened by their husbands than other girls.

Forced child marriage is most common in South Asia, West and Central Africa and in many third world countries. Senior Ethan Plummer said, “It is a difficult situation in today’s age when a cultural or religious tradition specifies the legitimacy of arranged marriages, especially between those that are underaged. In many regards, it is up to the parents to find some medium ground where they can maintain their heritage through their children and still be able to prioritize their safety. One solution may be just waiting a few more years.”