title: The Forced Marriage of Minors: A Neglected Form of Child Abuse.
abstract: The forced marriage of minors is child abuse, consequently duties exist to stop them. Yet over 14 million forced marriages of minors occur annually in developing countries. The American Bar Association (ABA) concludes that the problem in the US is significant, widespread but largely ignored, and that few US laws protect minors from forced marriages. Although their best chance of rescue often involves visits to health care providers, US providers show little awareness of this growing problem. Strategies discussed to stop forced marriages include recommendations from the UN, the ABA, and the UK. The author anticipates and responds to criticisms that first, no duty to intervene exists without better laws and practice guidelines; and second, that such marriages are not child abuse in traditions where parental rights or familism allegedly justify them.
authors.affiliation: Loretta M. Kopelman, Ph.D., received her Ph.D. (philosophy) from the University of Rochester and is currently a Professor of the Practice of Family Medicine, Faculty Affiliate of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University and Professor Emeritus Department of Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies at Brody School of Medicine. She was founding President of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities, is a Fellow of the Hastings Center and was a member of the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Research with Children.
authors.forename: Loretta M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kopelman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D003906:Developing Countries; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D033242:Minors; D010290:Parents