ABSTRACT
Child marriage is a cruel form of gender-based violence that still happens in Indonesia. This practice has made young women victims stay voiceless and invisible as citizens in their own country. Nevertheless, no matter how oppressive their lives as being child brides, they still have the capabilities and agencies to survive. This case study in qualitative research applies in-depth interviews and observations to explore how the women victims of child marriage construct the power of their mind and body for their own life. This research reveals that the combination of poverty, religious and cultural aspects of how society values women, contributes to the practice of female child marriage. It is found that despite having big responsibilities in reproduction and production, women who are victims of child marriage have shown to have agencies in constructing the power of their body and life by taking brave decisions for their own good, personal well-being and economical independence, by sharpening their potential, and creating differences in their surroundings. This research also delivers the deepest voice and the obvious presence of the women victims of child marriage, to be heard and be visible as human beings, struggling to live the life that matters to them.
