If you come across the term for the first time, you will mistake it for a good thing. But the reality of the matter is that it is a sugarcoated phrase that hides the demeaning of women. The practice is common in Islamic states, especially Iraq. A documentary done by Journeyman Tv reveals lays bare the men in cloth in Baghdad who act like pimps, sexually exploiting young girls and vulnerable women. Pleasure marriage is a form of prostitution because it allows a man to pay for a wife albeit short term. It is believed by some Iraqis that these temporary marriages are allowed in the Islamic law. In an interview, a man claimed that pleasure marriages make one closer to God by marrying a woman, especially if she is poor, because she is helping her, by offering support to her children if she has any. One would then ask how pleasure marriages differ from prostitution. One amazing thing is that those who practice it say unlike prostitution, these marriages are legal and religious, even though in both of them, there is an agreement between the two parties and sex in return for money.
Women and children were the most affected by the outcome of the war in Iraq, because most of them were widowed, and had to fend for their families. As a result, the clerics saw pleasure marriages as a way of salvaging the situation. In vulnerable states, women give in. The hope that these men give them, when they lose their husbands and then disappear, makes them end up in prostitution as they try to cater for the needs of their families. Unless you are properly married, renting a hotel room in Iraq is illegal, but the clerics in Baghdad help the men organise hotel rooms. It is reported that one can have a lady for even thirty minutes or one hour and marry another one.
The unfortunate thing is that even children are married off in this insane act, and at the centre of it are the men in clothes. One man who was interviewed claimed that for young girls, vaginal sex is forbidden so as not to tamper with their virginity, but anal sex is fine. Some families see girls as a burden and want to marry them off, so they wouldn't want to tamper with their virginity, because that would mean that they wouldn't get a man to marry them. Under Iraqi law, a girl must be at least 15 years old to marry, but the Sheikhs, being motivated by financial greed do not care. According to these Sheikhs, as long as the girl can tolerate the sexual intercourse, they can be married off.
The rich, because of the money take advantage of the poor girls. The Sheikhs can even oversee a pleasure marriage without being in contact with both parties. If one party is around, the rest can be done over the phone, and the Sheikh is paid about 200 USD.
Women and Children should be protected from any act or activity that demeans or make them lesser human beings!