Oxfam welcomes a BARMM fatwa banning forced marriage of rape survivors by declaring it ‘haram’, calling it a step toward justice and women’s rights. (Image by freepik)
COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ โVictim-survivors should not be trapped in a cycle of violence.โ This was the response of Oxfam Filipinas as it welcomed a new religious ruling in Muslim Mindanao declaring it โharam,โ or forbidden, to force rape survivors to marry their abusers.
The fatwa, issued by the Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta, affirms that sexual violence must be met with justice, stressing that perpetrators should not evade accountability by entering into marriage with their victims.
Dated February 13 but released only recently, the edict explicitly prohibits compelling a woman to marry her rapist, emphasizing that marriage under Islamic law requires the womanโs free and full consent.
The Darul-Ifta, the highest Islamic advisory body in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said the ruling followed a thorough review of the issue, which persists in some communities due to entrenched beliefs that such unions can โrestoreโ family honor.
Islamic jurists, however, rejected this reasoning. โDoing so would impose upon her two heavy burdens,โ the fatwa read, citing both the trauma of rape and the lifelong consequence of being tied to the perpetrator in marriage โ a situation it described as among the most unbearable for a woman.
Oxfam, in a statement, said the ruling marks a significant step toward protecting the rights and dignity of women and girls, underscoring that survivors must not be forced into arrangements that perpetuate abuse.
The development comes amid continuing concerns over sexual violence in the country. Data from the Philippine National Police recorded 7,662 rape cases in 2025, down from 9,910 in 2024.
While reported cases of violence against women in BARMM are lower than in other regions, advocates have long pointed to underreporting and a persistent โculture of silenceโ that obscures the true scale of abuse.
For Oxfam and other advocates, the fatwa sets a critical precedent โ reinforcing that dignity, consent, and justice must prevail over harmful traditions.
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