Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or both of the parties is
married without his or her consent or against his or her will. A forced marriage differs from an
arranged marriage, in which both parties consent to the assistance of their parents or a third party (such as a
matchmaker) in identifying a spouse. There is often a continuum of
coercion used to compel a marriage, ranging from outright physical violence to subtle psychological pressure. Forced marriage is still practised in various cultures across the world, particularly in parts of
South Asia and
Africa. Some scholars object to use of the term "forced marriage" because it invokes the consensual legitimating language of marriage (such as husband/wife) for an experience that is precisely the opposite. A variety of alternatives exist, including forced conjugal association, and conjugal slavery.