Gender Bias in Child Marriage in Madura
Netty Dyah Kurniasari
1
, Emy Susanti
2
and Yuyun Wahyu Izzati
2
1
University Trunojoyo Madura, Student of Department Sosial Sciences, Politics and Social Sciences Faculty,
University of Airlangga Surabaya, Indonesia
2
Department Social Science, Politics and Social Sciences Faculty, University of Airlangga Surabaya, Indonesia
Keywords: Gender Bias, Child Marriage, Madura.
Abstract: Based on data, in Indonesia girls are the most vulnerable victims. Another study found that firstly, girls from
rural areas experienced double vulnerability to be married compared to urban children. Secondly, early
marriage often occurs in poor areas. Third, girls who drop out or do not continue school are also more
vulnerable than girls who are in school The purpose of this study is to find out what causes child marriage in
Madura. The research subjects are couples who marry young, parents who marry young. Research location in
Madura. The results of the study show that adolescents do premature marriages for several reasons: Firstly,
their adherence to marriage at a young age if it is requested by parents. Secondly, Adolescents agree with the
norm ‘Adolescents who already have children boast parents’ (early marriage). The reason for parents marrying
their children at an early age is for several reasons. Firstly because of customs. Secondly because it has been
bound by an agreement with prospective (besan).Thirdly, to avoid married by accident. Fourth, want to
immediately have grandchildren.
1
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this study is to reveal the construction
of early marriage in Madura. In addition, it is also to
explore the understanding of early marriages about
reproductive health. Based on data, in Indonesia girls
are the most vulnerable victims. Another study found
that firstly, girls from rural areas experienced double
vulnerability to be married compared to urban
children. Secondly, early marriage often occurs in
poor areas. Third, girls who drop out or do not
continue school are also more vulnerable than girls
who are in school (Candraningrum, 2016). The 2012
Susenas data shows that girls who are married at 10-
15 years of age are 11.13 percent, and those who are
married between the ages of 10-15 years as much as
32.10% (Candraningrum, 2016).
2
LITERATUR REVIEW
Previous studies showed that women involved in
child marriages came from poor families (Susanti,
2018). Parents marry off their daughters to reduce the
family's economic burden (Susanti, 2018) Parents
encourage (force) girls to marry.The Impact of Child
Marriage in Indonesia.Journal of Youth Studies Vol
3 No 1 May 2014.The results showed that child
marriage occurs due to the lack of comprehensive
reproductive and sexual health education (PKRS)
since childhood.( Djamilah, Reni Kartikawati, 2014).
Marriage of Minors (A Study of Islamic Law
Perspectives). Al-Ihkam Journal Vol 6 No 2
December 2011. The results showed that there was
indeed a difference between State law and Islamic
law. (Mohammad (2011). Marriage of Minors and Its
Legal Consequences.Journal of Lex et Societatis Vol
II/No. 4/May/2014.
The results showed that customary law knows no
adult age limit. Islamic law does not specifically
mention age restrictions ( Sherlin Darondos (2014).
3
METHODS
The design of this study was descriptive qualitative.
Data collection are in-depth interview and
observation. Location of the study in Bangkalan and
Sampang Madura regencies whose child marriage
rates were highest. The population in this location are
women and her husban, their parents.Selection
techniques is purposive sampling.
Kurniasari, N., Susanti, E. and Izzati, Y.
Gender Bias in Child Marriage in Madura.
DOI: 10.5220/0011865500003582
In Proceedings of the 3rd International Seminar and Call for Paper (ISCP) UTA â
˘
A
´
Z45 Jakarta (ISCP UTA’45 Jakarta 2022), pages 47-50
ISBN: 978-989-758-654-5; ISSN: 2828-853X
Copyright
c
2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
47
The object of this research is:
a) children married parents of children who are
married
b) Officials, or community leaders (ulama)
In this study the validity or stabilization and
correctness of information is achieved by using two
triangulation techniques namely source triangulation
and method triangulation. Source triangulation is
done in two ways. The first method is done by
comparing data obtained from children who are
married to children, parents of children in different
situations. The second method is done by comparing
the information about the children who are married,
parents of children, leaders and community leaders
with different positions (status). Triangulation of the
method is done by comparing the results of structured
and in-depth interviews, FGDs and comparing with
documents and results of recording.
4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The informants in this study were married women at
an early age, female husbands, married parents and
community leaders. The first informant named
Muhammad Deny Faturokhman (21 years) addresses
Telang Timur Village and works as a photocopy
shopkeeper. He was betrothed when he was 18 years
old and married when he was 20 years old. The last
education was Deni High School (SMA). Deni's wife
named Siti Qomariah (20 years), Siti's last education
was only junior high school (SMP). Deni is the
second of three children, married because he was
forced by his parents. According to him, he was very
sad because he was forced to marry. He was
powerless to deny his parents' orders. At first Deni
denied the wishes of his parents to get married, but
parents still forced him. He wanted to work first to
boast of his parents.
During the wedding Deni claimed to experience
mental stress that made him down. The marriage was
important (not easy). If there are problems in his
family, he often asks for help from his parents.
Getting married at a young age was very hard for
Deni, but he considered it as a fate that must be faced
with courage, patience and sincerity.
The next informant was Mr. Abdul Tholib (Deni's
father). The reason behind marrying off his child was
because he was bound by an agreement with a
prospective besan (Siti's father). Deni's father and
Siti's father are still close relatives. They have
promised to marry their children at a young age. In
connection with government policy regarding the
minimum age limit for marriage, Abdul Tholib
actually knew. However, due to tradition (reasonable)
and an agreement with Mr Toha (besan), he still
married his child at a young age. In addition to the
agreement with the prospective besan, Pak Abdul
Tholib's motive was to marry his child at a young age
because he wanted to have a grandson.
Regarding the negative consequences of early
marriage, according to Mr. Tholib, he did not know
the impact of early marriage on women's reproductive
health. He has socialized to his son about the
importance of marriage as long as his son is 17 years
old. The way that Pak Tolib uses is to say that
marriage is something that is given by God to us and
married is an abundant fortune. Another informant in
this study was Fatimatus Zahroh, 20 years old.
Fatimatus Zahroh is an informant who got married
bay accident (MBA). Shee is now married, runs 1
year and does not have a marriage certificate
(Marriage Siri). The informant currently does not
have children.
Informants have experienced pressure from the
family environment that is like not being allowed to
leave the house.Informant was not independent to
express or convey a wish because did not get support
from parents. The parents of the informants also
wanted informants to marry at a young age because.
Her parents did not know the impact of the young
marriage. The informant's parents wanted him to have
children at a young age. The informant did not know
the consequences of early marriage or young
marriage for reasons already common in her
environment.
The informant did not understand the ideal age of
marriage. The informant said that getting married at
the age of 20 is a lot happening to adolescents in the
community, due to fear of not being sold out and
informants not knowing what information is related
to reproductive health in adolescents especially for
themselves. Fatimah's parents wanted her to marry at
a young age because she did not know the impact of
the early marriage. The informant's parents wanted
her to have children at a young age. The informant did
not know the consequences of early marriage or
young marriage. Early married is already common in
her environment. The informant did not understand
the ideal age of marriage for women that marrying
less than 20 years was a danger. The informant told
me that getting married at the age of 20 is a lot
happening to teenagers in the community.
Furthermore, the informant did not know where to get
information about the issue of reproductive health in
adolescents especially for herself.
According to Fatimah, she knows the function of
reproductive organs from television. Fatimah got
ISCP UTA’45 Jakarta 2022 - International Seminar and Call for Paper Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Jakarta
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pornographic images from electronic media such as
the internet, Facebook, YouTube and others. Related
to knowledge of sexual behavior , she know from
television. The informant did not understand the ideal
age of a woman to get married. the surrounding
environment there are many who are less than 19
years old at the time of marriage. The villagers
assume that getting married sooner is getting better,
even though they haven't graduated. Teenagers who
are not married at the age of 19 will be a public scorn.
Teenagers who already have children can boast of
their parents because they can provide new offspring
to their families.
4.1 Access of Reproductive Health
Information
Associated with access to reproductive health
information, informants know the function of
reproductive organs from television. Informants
access pornographic images from electronic media
such as the internet, facebook, youtube and others.
The knowledge of sexual behavior that is known to
informants safely from television. In terms of
knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases, such as
HIV / AIDs, informants obtained through television.
4.2 Knowledge of Reproductive Health
The informant did not understand the ideal age of a
woman to get married, that if a woman is truly ready
to marry at least 21 years of age, because in the
surrounding environment there are many who are less
than 19 years old at the time of marriage. Informants
are aware that marriage must need readiness
physically, mentally and economically. The
informant knew that the sign of puberty for young
women was menstruation and for men was a wet
dream. Moreover, informant also knew that women
who had menstruation were very at risk of getting
pregnant if they had sexual relations with the opposite
sex.
The informant knew that sexual relations even if
only one time could make pregnancy possible.
Furthermore, informants knew women who were
pregnant and giving birth at less than 15 years of age
had a dangerous risk. The informant also knew that
women who were mature enough to be mothers, it
was over 20 years old.Informants also experienced
and confirmed that being pregnant in adolescence
could cause difficulties such as traffic jams during
childbirth.
In understanding related to transmission of
venereal diseases such as HIV / AIDs, informants
have understood enough, such as informants stating
that HIV / AIDS is contagious when kissing patients
because only those who are injured.
Moreover, the informant also confirmed that
condom was safe because it could prevent infectious
diseases transmitted through sexual intercourse. The
informant also confirmed that the use of
contraception may be carried out by unmarried
teenagers because the partner is not pregnant. The
informants also did not know that there was
availability of male contraceptives to delay or prevent
pregnancy.
The next informan was Sela Vina, she was a
female, 20 years old. Sela Vina is an informant who
was divorced under the age of 20 years. She now has
a widow status, from her marriage running 1 year and
not having a marriage certificate (Marriage
Siri).Informan was not free to express or convey her
wishes. Informan stated that getting married at the age
of 20 is a lot happening to adolescents in the
community. Informan knowing to get information
which is related to reproductive health in adolescents
especially for themselves.According informan, she
know the function of reproductive organs from
television. She access pornographic images from
electronic media such as the internet, facebook,
youtube and others, as well as knowledge about
sexual behavior.According informan, married at a
young age of less than 20 years which is the choice of
the informant herself. Sexual intercourse outside
marriage is a shameful act. According informan,
pregnancy in adolescence is more healthy for
prospective babies. Moreover, pregnancy checks do
not have to be done if pregnant women are healthy.
Furthermore,have children with a number of very
proud.
The next informant is Mohammad Lukman. He
was a male, 21 years old. Mohammad Lukman is an
informan who is a teenager who consumes drugs.
Informan now has the status of a husband, from his
marriage running 1 year. He has a marriage certificate
(legal marriage). Current informant do not have
children.Informants in this case also consume
cigarettes and liquor as well as using illegal drugs.In
terms of economy, informants have experienced
economic pressures as well and informan have been
under pressure from their family / social community.
Informants can freely express their wishes. Talk
about married. Informants' parents wanted informants
to marry at a young age. Parents also want children
from informants at a young age. Informant states that
marriage under the age of 20 commonly occurs in
teenagers in the surrounding community. Informants
know the function of reproductive organs from
Gender Bias in Child Marriage in Madura
49
television. Informants use social media such as the
internet, Facebook, YouTube to access pornographic
content.
Informants get information about knowledge of
sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV / AIDs
informants from television. In the case of early
marriage or adolescence, informants are obtained
from the television. Married at a young age of less
than 20 years, which became the choice of the
informant himself. Outside sexual relations is a
shameful act according to the informant. However,
according informan, pregnancy in adolescence is
more healthy for prospective babies.Pregnancy
checks should not be done if the pregnant woman is
healthy. Furthermore, having children with large
numbers is very proud of family.
5 CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study show that adolescents do
premature marriages for several reasons: Firstly, their
adherence to marriage at a young age if it is requested
by parents. Secondly, Adolescents agree with the
norm ‘Adolescents who already have children boast
parents’ (early marriage). The reason for parents
marrying their children at an early age is for several
reasons. Firstly because of customs. Secondly
because it has been bound by an agreement with
prospective (besan).Thirdly, to avoid married by
accident. Fourth, want to immediately have
grandchildren. The limitations of this study are that
they have not dug deeply into the families of
teenagers who experience early marriage.
Suggestions for further research are exploring the
impact of early marriage on the adolescent's family.
REFERENCES
Candraningrum Dewi dkk, 2016, Takut akan Zina,
Pendidikan Rendah, dan Kemiskinan :Status Anak
Perempuan dalam Pernikahan Anak di Sukabumi Jawa
Barat. Jurnal Perempuan, Vol 21 No 1 Februari 2016.
Djamilah, Reni Kartikawati (2014), Dampak Perkawinan
Anak di Indonesia. Jurnal Studi Pemuda Vol 3 No 1 Mei
2014.
Mohammad (2011), Perkawinan Anak di Bawah Umur
(Sebuah Kajian Perspektif Hukum Islam).Jurnal Al-
Ihkam Vol 6 No 2 Desember 2011.
Sherlin Darondos (2014), Perkawinan Anak di Bawah
Umur dan Akibat Hukumnya.Jurnal Lex et Societatis
Vol II/No. 4/Mei/2014.
Survei Sosial Ekonomi Nasional 2014
Susanti, Emy (2018), Unequal Gender Relations in The
Practices Of Girls Marriage in Poor Family at East
Java Province. Jurnal Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan
Politik Vol 31 Isuue 4, 2018.page 440-450.
Interviews with Deny Faturokhman (Gili Timur
Bangkalan)
Interviews with Abdul Tholib (Bangkalan)
Interviews with Fatimatus Zahroh (Sampang)
Interviews with Fatimatus Zahroh`s parents (Sampang)
Interviews with Mohammad Lukman
Interviews with Sela Vina
.
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