These Reasons Early Marriage Is Not Recommended

Early marriage is a marriage that takes place before the bride is 18 years old. In addition to creating health risks for women, early marriage also has the potential to trigger sexual violence and human rights violations. Republic of Indonesia Law No. 1 of 1974 article 6 sets the minimum age for marriage in which marriages are only permitted if men have reached the age of 19 and the woman has reached the age of 16. However, in terms of medical and psychological, that age is still fairly early to deal with problems at marriage. Some studies even show that early marriage in adolescence is more risky to lead to divorce.

Why Early Marriage Is Not Recommended

In Indonesia, early marriage occurs with a reason to avoid slander or having sex outside of marriage. There are also parents who marry off their teenage children for economic reasons. By marrying a daughter, it means that the burden of parents in supporting the child is reduced, because the daughter will be the responsibility of her husband after marriage. Married children are expected to have better livelihoods. But if the child drops out of school or has little education, it will extend the poverty chain. The practice of early marriage also appears to be more prevalent in the lower middle class. Early marriage is not the only solution, because early marriage can actually lead to other cases. The following are reasons why early marriage should not occur, including:

• The risk of sexual diseases increases

In a marriage, sexual relations must occur. While sexual relations carried out by someone under the age of 18 years will tend to be more at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV. This is so because the knowledge of healthy and safe sex is still minimal.

• The risk of sexual violence increases

Studies show that compared to women who marry at the age of adulthood, women who marry under the age of 18 are more likely to experience violence than their partners. The reason is because at this age, coupled with a lack of knowledge and education, a woman at a young age will be more difficult and less likely to resist sexual intercourse. Even though early marriage was intended to protect themselves from sexual violence, the reality was exactly the opposite. The risk of violence is higher, especially if the age gap between husband and wife is getting further away.

• Risks in pregnancy increase

Pregnancy at an early age is not easy and tends to be more risky. Rows of risks that might occur are not playing games and can be dangerous for both mother and fetus. In the fetus, the risks that may occur are babies born prematurely and low birth weight. Babies can also have problems with growth and development because of a higher risk of experiencing disorders from birth, plus the lack of knowledge of parents in caring for them. While mothers who are still teenagers are also more at risk of anemia and preeclampsia. This condition will affect the condition of fetal development. If preeclampsia has become eclampsia, this condition will endanger the mother and fetus and can even result in death.

• Risk of experiencing psychological problems

Not only physical effects, mental and psychological disorders are also at higher risk for women who are married in their teens. Several studies have shown that the younger a woman's age at marriage, the higher the risk of developing mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and depression, later in life.

• The risk of having a low social and economic level

Not only in terms of health, early marriage can also be said to rob the rights of adolescent girls themselves. Where in those days it should be fulfilled by playing and learning to achieve a better future and financial capacity. But this opportunity was actually exchanged with the burden of marriage and child care. Some of those who undergo early marriage tend to drop out of school, because inevitably they have to fulfill their responsibilities after marriage. Likewise with young men who are psychologically not ready to endure a living and play the role of husband and father.

Marriage is not as simple as imagined. It needs maturity both physically, psychologically, and emotionally. This is why early marriage is not recommended and the reason for early marriage rates must be suppressed. Maturity of yourself both mentally and financially is also an important aspect that needs to be considered before deciding to have a happy marriage.