Last month, Fox News reported that an Iraqi mother was accused of beating her daughter because she would not concede to an arranged marriage. She pleaded not guilty, but police said that they saw evidence of violence, including burn marks on the teen's face and neck that were issued with a hot spoon. Authorities say that the 19-year-old daughter refused to enter into a marriage with a 38-year-old man, encouraging the assault by her mother. The parent says that she "only slightly" hurt her daughter. There are also rumors that mother and father tied their daughter down with rope and beat her for rebelling against their choice of a husband for her.

What's most amazing is that this story did not occur across the country. It happened in Arizona. This is an extreme example, but shows that in some cultures, arranged marriage is considered normal and accepted. Not all arranged marriages are violent. L'Chaim is a matchmaker business operating near LA, where Orthodox Jews come to be matched with their spouse. Many men and women in this culture gladly submit their fate to a matchmaker, who will conduct an interview and match two people based on the compatibility of their files. People travel from all over the United States to find their soul mate at L'Chaim. In a way, it is like internet dating. The only difference is the compulsory finality which accompanies the arranged marriage. In other words, once you're in- you aren't allowed to back out.

Many Muslims and Hindus believe in the idea of an arranged marriage and some Evangelical Christians are even taking an interest in the practice. Americans are currently postponing marriage. The idea of "shacking up" is no longer uncommon, and boyfriends and girlfriends live together in a state that is similar to marriage but without the contract. Many religious communities do not approve of this popular new lifestyle, and may want to take things into their own hands by forcing arranged marriages. All of this leads up to a significant question: Is arranged marriage legal in America? While parents and others can suggest future spouses or give insight into a person's choice of a life partner, a forced marriage is considered an infringement on a person's basic human rights. Children who are forced to marry are the victims of child abuse, and their parent or guardian can be severely punished for compelling this type of union.

Victims of a forced marriage are often forced to partake in nonconsensual sex, isolation, physical and emotional abuse, and threats of violence. The law supports a person's right to self-determination and rejects the abuse of women. Also, men and women are not allowed to marry under the state age limit, which is normally 16 with parental consent and 18 without. In some countries, forced marriage is not regulated or punished, especially in the Middle East where the practice is common. Still, women in these countries are often abused because of these forced and arranged nuptials.

There are sometimes cases where women are sent to other countries and forced to marry in a location where it is legal. The United States government can get involved in these cases and rescue individuals that are susceptible to such treatment. The Bureau of Consular Affairs records cases of this forced marriage happening in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Pakistan, Syria, and the United Kingdom. If you or a loved one is being forced into a marriage without your consent, you should contact the state authorities.