child bride
Minor forced marriage
A child bride is a girl married before reaching adulthood, typically under eighteen.
The term carries implicit criticism—it highlights the youth and vulnerability of someone in a role meant for adults.
Child marriage persists in parts of the world where poverty, tradition, or lack of legal protection leaves girls subject to arrangements made by families: She was a child bride at fourteen, married to a man three times her age.
Female youth period
- innocenceFreedom from wrongdoing
- immaturityUndeveloped condition
- adolescenceTeenage developmental stage
- inexperienceLack of prior exposure
naivety · vulnerability · dependence · puberty · minor · underage · young · tender
Guarding against harm
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- educationSystematic development of mind
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
liberation · rights · justice · autonomy · agency · activism · reform · intervention
Marital property transfer
- arrangedPut into order
- betrothalFormal marriage agreement
- matchmakingArranging romantic connections
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
custom · kinship · patriarchy · lineage · contractual · negotiation · family honor · obligation
Selfish use of others
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
victimization · grooming · trafficking · forced · powerlessness · manipulation · predatory · endangerment
girlhood
Female youth period
- innocenceFreedom from wrongdoing
- immaturityUndeveloped condition
- adolescenceTeenage developmental stage
inexperience · naivety · vulnerability · dependence · puberty · minor · underage · young · tender · schoolgirl
protection
Guarding against harm
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- educationSystematic development of mind
- empowermentGaining authority or confidence
legislation · liberation · rights · justice · autonomy · agency · activism · reform · intervention · awareness
dowry
Marital property transfer
- arrangedPut into order
- betrothalFormal marriage agreement
- matchmakingArranging romantic connections
ceremony · custom · kinship · patriarchy · lineage · contractual · negotiation · family honor · obligation · alliance
exploitation
Selfish use of others
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- traumaLasting psychological wound
vulnerability · victimization · grooming · trafficking · forced · powerlessness · manipulation · predatory · endangerment · suffering
- Wiveswife, spouse, newlywed, housewife, first wife
- marriage crimesbigamy, forced marriage, marriage fraud, sham marriage, fraudulent marriage
- ___ bride
child bridesingle
One in number
unmarried woman · spinster · never-married · unmarried · bachelorette
child brideequal partner
child, bride, children, childish, childlike, childhood, childless, childcare, bridal