A study by M.V. Foundation on the experiences of child brides after two to three years into marriage has brought out the violence that they are subjected to at their marital homes.
Conducted through interviews with 46 married girls and 26 girls whose marriages had been stopped in Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy, Mahabubnagar and Hyderabad, the study attempted to capture the girls’ domestic and wage working conditions, relationships, sexual, physical and mental violence and aspects of gender discrimination.
According to the results of the study, 89 per cent of the girls were physically assaulted by the husband and scolded on daily basis, while 71 per cent faced physical violence from the in-laws. Impact on the health too is severe. Nobody said that they were healthy after marriage. Seventy-eight per cent of the girls had stated that their health had deteriorated and 30 per cent complained of body aches and pains after marriage. Fifteen per cent were mentally depressed and 37 per cent felt lonely. Sixty-seven per cent of the girls could not talk about health issues with their husbands.
The results revealed that relationship with husband and in-laws was strained too. In the qualitative analysis, the study spoke about limitations of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2016. The Act has serious flaws as it does not make child marriage totally voidable.
The founder of M.V. Foundation Shanta Sinha, in her impassioned address, accused the State as being complicit in child marriages.
Child marriage is sanctified subjugation, and integral to violence, Ms. Sinha maintained, and said the State is party to such violence due to its lack of action.
Abolition of child marriages cannot be a soft programme, as it disturbs power relations in society and family. It should become the moral imperative and obligation of the State to carry out the battle against child marriages, Ms.Sinha said.
