Here Comes the Mail-Order Bride: Three Methods of Regulation in the United States, the Philippines, and Russia
2007; Routledge; Volume: 39; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1534-9977
Autores Tópico(s)Reproductive Health and Technologies
Resumotransformation of people into commodities for the purpose of catering to a consumer society has proved profitable for mail-order bride brokers.1 At present, affected nations unilaterally craft, propose, and implement solutions to the problem according to their diverse perceptions of it. The IMB [International Marriage Broker] industry continues to boom despite these efforts because localized approaches are insufficient to solve this global problem. While the failure of such approaches has been widely acknowledged, a more effective solution remains elusive.2 I. INTRODUCTION Mail-order brides are often thought of as a byproduct of the Internet generation. In reality, mail-order brides have been around for decades, although in the past their profiles were showcased in catalogues instead of on websites. Western men finding foreign brides through third-party marriage brokers, however, is a growing trend. In response, some countries have decided to legislate and regulate International Marriage Brokers, the agencies that match up mail-order brides with their potential husbands. The Philippines and the United States have led the way in regulation of the mail-order bride industry. In contrast, Russia, although a growing supply country for mail-order brides, has left International Marriage Brokers and the mail-order bride industry unregulated. Part II of this Note will describe the current status of International Marriage Brokers, mail-order brides, and legislative attempts to regulate them-or the conscious decision to leave them unregulated-in the United States, the Philippines, and Russia. In particular, the United States has tried to regulate International Marriage Brokers, the Philippines have tried to eradicate the mail-order bride industry, and Russia has left mail-order brides and International Marriage Brokers virtually unchecked in the legislative arena. Part III will compare the strengths and weaknesses of each country's approach, be it social or legislative, and will recommend a comprehensive international approach towards the future regulation of International Marriage Brokers and the mail-order bride industry. This international approach includes both regulation and social reformations, drawing on the experiences of the United States, the Philippines, and Russia. II. DISCUSSION A. Overview of and International Marriage Brokers As use of the Internet becomes increasingly common throughout the world, websites advertising Mail-Order Brides are becoming more prevalent.3 Most mail-order brides come from the Philippines,4 the former Soviet Union,5 or Latin America.6 Mail-order brides tend to be from impoverished countries7 and are often young and uneducated.8 Since the purpose of International Marriage Brokers [s] 'providing a fantasy for American men who have been unlucky in love,' mail-order brides tend to be attractive women.9 Prospective husbands are primarily from Western countries, with the United States and the European Union as the major recipients of mail-order brides.10 In addition, husbands are generally educated, economically successful, and middle-aged.11 International Marriage Brokers connect prospective husbands with mail-order brides.12 Although the means used may vary by broker, most International Marriage Brokers provide customers with websites that include pictures and short biographies of prospective mail-order brides.13 The brides often register on the site for free or for a nominal fee.14 The husbands pay a fee - either one time, monthly, or for every address - to receive contact information on mail-order brides.15 Men can usually search for brides by photograph, profile, age, height, weight, occupation, marital status, number of children, or other information.16 Most of these men state that they are looking for a wife with good old fashioned values.17 Some scholars argue, however, that [t]he mail-order bride trade feeds on highly unrealistic and contradictory expectations about marital relationships. …
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