How I met your mother: Mitigating forced marriage in the United States

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• Author: Maisha Imam
• Date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12744

STUDENT NOTE

How I met your mother: Mitigating forced

marriage in the United States

Maisha Imam

Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra

University, New York, USA

Correspondence

Maisha Imam, Maurice A. Deane School of

Law at Hofstra University, 121 Hofstra

University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA.

Email: mimam2@pride.hofstra.edu

Abstract

Forced marriage in the United States is a hidden issue for a

growing number of children and young people. Being

trapped in a marriage severely impacts a person's well-

being, with long-term psychological and physical ramifica-

tions. Forced marriage increases the likelihood of domestic

violence and sexual abuse, depriving victims of autonomy.

To lessen the number of forced marriages, this Note

proposes emulating a United Kingdom statute. The statute

provides a comprehensive approach with tailored programs

and services to serve the needs of victims of forced

marriages. Adopting this statute will create uniform law,

making forced marriages illegal federally.

KEYWORDS

autonomy, child marriage, comprehensive, consent, forced

marriage, marriage in the United States, right to choose, victims'

rights

Key points for the family court community

•An online survey of 7791 individuals estimated an 11%

sample prevalence rate of forced marriage in America.

•There is currently no federal statute outlawing forced

marriage.

•Only nine states and two U.S. jurisdictions have criminal

statutes that specifically address the issue of forced

marriage.

•In some states, minors are allowed to marry with parental

or judicial consent, or when expecting a child.

DOI: 10.1111/fcre.12744

© 2023 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

Family Court Rev. 2023;61:937–950. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fcre 937