The Causes That Lead Widows to Marry Their Dead Husband’s Brother and the Outcomes of This Marriage from Their View Point: Nablus as a Model

This study examined the reasons that that a widow marries her brother-in-low after her husband’s death and the results of this marriage from her viewpoint in Nablus The goal of this study is to examine the social, psychological and economic causes of marrying her dead husband’s brother to analyze and explain the reality of the wife is suffering through social, psychological and economic pressure. The study also aimed at describing the dynamics through which the process of the second marriage goes through and finally to attempt to predict the steps that occur during this period and the potential outcomes so we can provide recommendation to deal with these outcomes. The study’s population was made of all the women who married their dead husband’s brother in Nablus between 2010 and 2015. The total number was (8) and I was able to reach only 7 of them. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method of data collection and analysis, which better fits this type of research. I also conducted in-depth interviews with each of the cases. Results: The interviews resulted in showing that there were psychological, social and economic causes that push the wife to marry her dead husband’s brother. The psychological causes are made of feelings of: psychological and social emptiness, fear for her children and their future, the social causes are made up of: a demeaning look at the widow without a husband and struggle among the family of the children and her own family over her social status and that of the children, the economic causes cover poverty, lack of resources, and economic dependence. All these elements direct the wife to take a decision that will shape the choice of remarriage of the brother as the fastest, safest, socially acceptable, “decent” choice that keeps the family together and saves the wife from social criticism, agony, potential separation from her children and satisfies the rest of the fears of all involved and relieves the stress and pressure off the wife. This choice does not depend on the feeling sorry for the wife towards the new husband or the new husband’s feelings towards the woman but aims at maintaining the humanitarian and social importance of keeping the family unit intact. The success or failure of this marriage depends on accomplishing the goals it was created for: keeping the family and satisfying the needs of all participants unlike a traditional marriage, which is built on different needs and goals. Recommendations: The researcher presented few recommendation that came out of the stated results. These recommendation aim at suggesting solutions for the outcomes of this kind of marriage that fulfills the social, economic and psychological needs of the wife and the needs of the larger society. These recommendations include providing a number of social workers who are experts in this field to allow them to provide psychological and social support for the wives during the process of deciding whether or not to marry the brother-in-low. Furthermore, to advise the families of the couple to the potential issues that might arise from this kind of marriage and the potential consequences on the couple themselves and the children and the larger family unit. Another suggestion is widen the media coverage of such an institution and advising women on their property, psychological and social well-being and the right to the custody of the children which is usually the main drive for the decision, which , in most cases prevent the woman from thinking of herself at all. These suggestions, among others are aimed at strengthening the woman’s stance and process of decision-making. It will maintain the woman as a human with dignity, privacy and sanity.