Forced matrimony and women’s health in Kashmir, northwest India: a phenomenological inquiry

This paper explores the profound physical, psychological and emotional challenges experienced by women who are subjected to forced marriage in the Ganderbal district of the Kashmir division of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India. It argues that the forced marriage of women significantly impacts their physical and mental well-being, and reduces their standard of living. It focuses mostly on the loss of autonomy, reproductive health, social stigma and other hard-to-adjust-to challenges that lead to their poor quality of life. This qualitative study involved 15 purposively selected respondents and was conducted between November and December 2024. Its findings reveal that forced marriages function as a site of ongoing emotional and bodily regulation, which places severe restrictions on women's personal freedom, reproductive choice and access to healthcare.