Forced marriage was a common occurrence under the Khmer Rouge, and was used by Pol Pot’s Angkar and its leadership to enforce its ideology, increase the population, and control the people’s loyalty and actions. Many of our interviewees share stories of being married during the Khmer Rouge period as well as the circumstances surrounding their marriages, from the details of the ceremony to threats exchanged if they didn’t concede to the marriage. Other interviewees also share stories of how they gained permission or “played the system” to marry people they knew or shared affection for.
