Before this semester ended, one of the assignments I had to do involved making a discussion post about arranged marriages and my thoughts regarding the subject. When completing this assignment, one topic came to mind. First, arranged marriages are not the same as forced marriage. A very thin line separates the two, but nonetheless, the two are not the same. This topic was an essential focal point of my discussion around arranged marriages. This article will discuss why forced marriages are not the same as arranged marriages.

To begin, why do other cultures–more specifically Western culture–view arranged marriages as the same as a forced marriage. One of the many reasons I can think of is that Western culture assumes that because forced marriage is arranged, an arranged marriage is forced. To many cultures, this is not the truth. To many, an arranged marriage is a marriage arranged by a third party that is consensual. This idea can be hard to comprehend, but to many cultures that rely on arranged marriages, it makes sense. Arranged marriages usually are arranged by parents on behalf of their children. When the parents find a suitable suitor for their child, the child has the opportunity to meet with the suitor in order to see if they are really a match. An arranged marriage is done for several reasons; however, they all come down to the child not having to stress about finding a suitable partner and, in doing so, they can focus on their career. In this case, we can see how an arranged marriage is not the same as a forced marriage. However, by me saying this, I am not trying to pretend as if forced marriages do not exist because they do; however, arranged marriages and forced marriages are not interchangeable. Forced marriage can be arranged, but an arranged marriage is not forced.

In conclusion, Western societies believe that forced marriages are the same as arranged marriage; however, this is far from the truth. Although forced marriages can be arranged, we should not assume that arranged marriages and forced marriages are the same. Arranged marriages can take the stress off the shoulders of one seeking to get married. In societies where marriage is emphasized, arranged marriages help someone seeking a life-long partner focus on their career while knowing that someone who has their best interests in mind is looking for a potential suitor.