The Round Table: Why Do Women Marry Prisoners

Reasons Why a Woman Would Marry a Prisoner She Doesn't Really Know: Although there are many reasons why women marry prisoners they really don't know, the statistics of such a marriage lasting long term once they are together on the outside are slim. These unions rarely succeed. There is usually a lot of conflict, including verbal and physical violence. Generally women who marry prisoners that they met through the mail or on their job while the guy was already in jail tend to be shy, have low self-esteem, consider themselves to be outsiders, have been victims of abuse, and they hunger for an emotional relationship. Reasons Why Women Marry Prisoners They Really Don't Know •Identification with aggressive personality •Rescue fantasies •An act of compassion •A way of showing sympathy for a political cause or for an outcast •A way to be the center of attention and in the limelight •Fills need to be needed and to feel important •A desire for danger or thrills •Out of a sense of rebellion •As a ticket to citizenship •Fills void caused by failure of, disappointment in, or lack of romantic relationships •Allows marriage and motherhood without having to deal with a husband everyday There isn't much that you can say to this friend of yours to get her to change her mind. We recommend that she attend some pre-marital counseling sessions. Hopefully, some of the hoops and paperwork that prison marriages require will slow down the wedding process and she will realize that she is making a mistake.