Forced Sex and Early Marriage: Understanding the Linkages and Norms in a Humanitarian Setting

Ilana Seff; Anaise Williams; Farah Hussain; Debbie Landis; Catherine Poulton; Kathryn Falb; Lindsay Stark

doi:10.1177/1077801219845523

Forced Sex and Early Marriage: Understanding the Linkages and Norms in a Humanitarian Setting

Ilana Seff, Anaise Williams, Farah Hussain, Debbie Landis, Catherine Poulton, Kathryn Falb, Lindsay Stark

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This mixed-methods study uses baseline data from a program evaluation in the Democratic Republic of Congo to examine two outcomes of interest: self-reported exposure to forced sex and belief that a girl’s community would force her to marry her hypothetical rapist, for married and unmarried 13- to 14-year-old girls (n = 377). Married girls are more likely to report both outcomes. Qualitative in-depth interviews with girl participants (n = 30) and their caregivers (n = 31) were analyzed for themes related to forced sex and marriage, revealing the normalcy of girls marrying perpetrators and suggesting that some married girls in this setting may have been forced to marry their rapist.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	787-802
Number of pages	16
Journal	Violence Against Women
Volume	26
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801219845523
State	Published - Jun 1 2020
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Democratic Republic of Congo
child marriage
forced marriage
forced sex
internal displacement
social norms

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Gender Studies
Sociology and Political Science
Law

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10.1177/1077801219845523

Cite this

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AU - Hussain, Farah

AU - Landis, Debbie

AU - Poulton, Catherine

AU - Falb, Kathryn

AU - Stark, Lindsay

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Forced Sex and Early Marriage: Understanding the Linkages and Norms in a Humanitarian Setting

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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