Approaches of women who get married at child age and adult age to marriage and family institution

The child brides as fairly old time's traditional phenomena was prohibited by the Turkish Marital Law in 1926. The Turkish State has been struggled to take it under control since then. Moreover, it had signed various international agreements in order to eliminate the child bride issue. Until today, child brides whose number is went down gradually, due to social and economic structure, is still one important problem to face our country. But women who married in adult age might experience problems similar to those encountered by child brides or the strength of such problems is changing. In our country, there are various discussions on women's problems and issues. There are many women who are disturbed or uncomfortable by the discourses of conservative and religious men, especially politicians when they are talking on women issues. Indeed, these men's expressions are usually contradict with not only the universal right of children, but of women too. In that respect, it is important to focus on views and experiences of women married in childhood and compare these experiences with those of the women married in adult age. Therefore, qualitative data analysis was conducted to analyse these issues in Istanbul, Turkey. In this study, it was the case that the women married in various ages had shared similar as well as different experiences and problems. Especially traditional gender roles influence these women similarly. Yet, none of them support early marriage of their own daughters and that's why it could be assumed that the child marriages will be greatly reduced in the future. Women from both groups think that education is important, and they pay special attention to education of their girls and boys. Indeed, the answers given by woman who married or are married in childhood and women who married in adult age are sometimes similar to each other and sometimes different. Although many problems are not thought to be in the form of a vicious circle, since the woman is dependent on men, the final decision is made on men in important matters.