Are You In A Forced Marriage? You Have Options
Posted on: 30 November 2015
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It may shock people to know that a single study identified as many as 3,000 women forced into marriages in the U.S. in just a two-year period. The real number could be even higher. If you're a woman that's been forced into marriage through cultural or religious pressure, what are your options?
An annulment is an option
If either spouse was forced into the marriage in any way, that's grounds for an annulment in the United States. If you feel that divorce is a social stigma, for whatever reason, an annulment may be a viable solution. An annulment doesn't end your marriage; instead, it declares that the marriage was never valid in the first place, so it never actually existed.
One thing to keep in mind is that child support is still available when a marriage is annulled. The obligation to pay child support is a separate legal issue that has nothing to do with the status of your marriage.
A divorce is also possible.
Divorce is also a possibility, although it may be more complicated. However, divorce can become far more complicated if it is contested, and it may require more interaction with your spouse than an annulment. Your spouse may use delaying tactics, like refusing to sign the paperwork or refusing to agree to divide up personal property, as a way of forcing you to remain in contact with him, possibly in the hopes that he can pressure you into changing your mind.
A protective order may be needed.
If your family culture sees forced marriage as a social necessity, you may be afraid of their reaction to your divorce. Some women are afraid of "honor" violence from their own families and the families of their spouses in response to actions that are seen as outside cultural norms, like leaving a spouse, getting a job outside the home, and seeking a divorce.
If that's your situation, it may be possible to seek protective orders to help keep you safe from harm. Protective orders, which are sometimes called restraining orders, can require your spouse to move out of the family home, stay away from both you and your children, surrender any firearms that he has, and even attend mandatory counseling.
Protective orders can also be sought against other family members -- even your own -- who have threatened you. If you are working outside the home, a protective order will also keep people who have threatened you away from your workplace.
Leaving a marriage is never easy. It's even harder when your religion or your culture has pushed you into it against your will. Talk to an attorney about your concerns as soon as you make the decision to leave.
For more information, contact McKone & Unruh or a similar firm.