Researchers discuss early and forced marriages in Northern Caucasus

The problem of early and forced marriages in Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia is still there, although there are no reliable statistics on this issue. The problem is rarely brought into the public sphere amid girls' confidence in their own defencelessness, absence of working laws and gender discrimination characteristic of the patriarchal structure inherent in these republics. This was stated by the authors of the study entitled "Forcibly Married", which was conducted by Yulia Antonova, Inna Airapetyan and Kulsam Magomadova.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that mostly women under 30 are trying to escape from domestic violence in Dagestan, Ingushetia and Chechnya. They face threats of losing contact with their children, and the problem of "honour killings" is also relevant, human rights defenders from the "Ad Rem" team have indicated in the report.

In some republics of Northern Caucasus, early and forced marriages are still not considered a problem that needs to be combated. According to official data, in 2021 in Russia, a total of 4453 women were married while under 18 years of age.

"This topic received wide media coverage only in 2015, when the 17-year-old Kheda (Luiza) Goylabieva was married to a 54-year-old police boss in Chechnya," the authors have stated.

Among the reasons for early and forced marriages, the researchers enumerate economic disadvantage of families, especially large ones, as well as concerns for the "family honour." Relatives do not take abducted girls, as they believe that they are already "unclean"; this greatly reduces their chances of marrying another man.

Cases are singled out; when raped girls are married off to rapists out of fear for the family honour.

Absence of education among girls leads to economic dependence on their husband's families and violence.

"Immediately after marriage, they have pregnancy and everyday life ... There's no time to study ... I remember how I envied my classmates who were so carefree and cheerful," said Liana from Dagestan, who was married by force at the age of 14.

Most often, a minor wife is treated as a person without rights.

"My husband never gave me money, even when I had to go to the maternity hospital. And he didn't let me get treatment," said Fatima from Chechnya, who was married off at the age of 17.

Such marriages actually lead to women's isolation. Almost half of the respondents (14 out of 31) said that they had been subjected to physical violence by their husbands, from slaps and kicks to beatings.

"I had an additional problem with my husband and mother-in-law ... I couldn't go to hospital. This was considered wrong from the viewpoint of our religion," said Madina from Dagestan, who was married off at the age of 16.

Experts have pointed to the lack of crisis centres for violence victims, which could become an important element in defending victims of early and forced marriages.