WHAT IS A
FORCED MARRIAGE?
“My parents want to marry me off. I know that I will disappoint them if I say no. In the worst case, I’m afraid I might be disowned by my family. Then I’ll have no one.”
Does your family want you to get married? Have they chosen a spouse for you? Is it difficult to say no? Are you afraid of disappointing them? Do you fear losing your family?
If you do not wish to enter into a marriage and are being pressured, threatened, and/or forced to say yes, it is a forced marriage.
You may experience pressure from your family or the community, stating that you are ruining the family's reputation and honour, bringing shame to the family with the choices you make or don't make, ruining your own and your siblings' future, or causing illness to family members.
In certain situations, it can be challenging to distinguish between persuasion, pressure, and coercion. This is especially true if the family uses emotional blackmail. You may feel like you are betraying your family if you say no to the marriage.
People with disabilities can be particularly vulnerable to forced marriages. The same applies to individuals who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Your rights:
Marriage should be entered into by free will (Marriage Act §1b).
Women and men have the same right to choose a spouse (Marriage Act §1b).
The minimum age to enter into marriage is 18 years (Marriage Act §1a).
An agreement made by parents or others on behalf of a child regarding marriage is not binding (Children Act §30a).
Marriages entered into under pressure or coercion can be declared invalid (Marriage Act §16).
The person who forces someone to enter into a marriage can be sentenced to up to 6 years in prison. This applies regardless of whether the marriage was entered into in Norway or abroad (Penal Code §253).
It is a criminal offense to deceive or facilitate a person's travel to another country for the purpose of forced marriage (Penal Code §253).
Causes of forced marriage can include:
Culture and traditions
Family's desire to help relatives in the country of origin
Pressure from extended family and friends
Poverty and financial reasons
Urgent solution to prevent or restore honor loss
Arranged marriage is legal in Norway. An arranged marriage is a marriage where your family proposes a potential spouse, but you can say no if you don't want to get married.
It can be extremely difficult to go against your family's wishes. You may feel unsure about what you can or should do in such a situation. That's why it's important to talk to someone who can provide you with advice and guidance.
"My parents want to marry me off. They have done everything for me throughout my upbringing. All they want now is for me to marry this guy. I know that I would disappoint them if I say no. Additionally, I want to protect my family from rumors and gossip within the community. In the worst case, I'm afraid I could be disowned by my family. Then I would have no one. I have a friend who said no to a man suggested by her family, and everything turned out fine, she still lives at home. But she is like air, nobody talks to her, and they don't even set the table for her when they eat! I don't want to have that kind of relationship with my family." - Girl, 19