Marriage and Cohabitation

Question 1

Marriage

Answer 1

-Sociologists define marriage as a socially supported union involving two or more individuals in what is regarded as a stable, enduring arrangement typically based at least in part on a sexual bond of some kind.
-Marriage statistics for 2010 are rounded and provisional. Figures for 2010 will be finalised in early 2013 when the majority of marriage returns have been received from register offices and the clergy. In 2009, the number of marriages in England and Wales increased by approximately 1,000 records between the provisional first release of figures and the finalised statistics.
This is the first time that ONS has published final annual 2009 and provisional annual 2010 marriage statistics for England and Wales.

Question 2

Different types of marriage - arranged marriage

Answer 2

• In forced arranged marriages parents or guardians select spouses; bride and groom have no say in the matter.
• Arranged marriage with partners’ veto rights are initiated by parents or guardians, but depend on the consent of bride and groom.

Question 3

Forced marriage

Answer 3

• Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later forced to stay in the marriage against their will. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties presumably consent to the assistance of their parents or a third party such as a matchmaker in finding and choosing a spouse.
• There were 1,764 cases of forced marriage in 2018,although many people wouldn’t come out about it.

Question 4

Cohabitation

Answer 4

• Cohabitation is when a couple live together in one household but are not legally married. Cohabiting couples do not have the same legal protection as married couples.
• It is a trail run for marriage and however many studies have found that premarital cohabitation is associated with increased risk of divorce, a lower quality of marriage, poorer marital communication, and higher levels of domestic violence.