[Arranged marriages of underage girls and the resulting psychic consequences].

This study is based on 20 cases of disturbed female clients whose marriages were arranged at an under age ranging from 9-13 years. When the men have paid the dowry and fulfilled the marriage customs they are entitled to have sexual intercourse with their wives. Some have this sexual intercourse before or shortly after menstruation and some even have seen their husbands only once or twice before their hands are given in marriage. This early sexual experience, mostly against the will of the underage girls, can precipitate positive or negative reactions. In the positive reaction cases an imprinting fixation on the man takes place. Should the man die or reject the young woman, a disorientation takes place resulting mostly in an inability to have sexual relationship with another man. Should the reaction be negative the woman will do all she can to prevent sexual relationship with the husband through all sorts of symptoms like frequent pregnancies, crawling sensation, secret love affairs with remorse of concience, internal heat, constant head-ache etc. 2 cases are selected from the 20 cases as illustration.