Islam considers fornication and adultery as an act that destroys the very basis of family, which leads to quarrels and murders, ruins reputations and spreads numerous diseases physical and spiritual. Muslim women are free to choose their partners and cannot be forced in to marriage against their will. Shariah does not recognize marriage of a Muslim woman to a non-Muslim man and strictly forbids such a union unless the man freely converts to Islam. The reasons for this are practical and wise. To expect a spouse who does not share one's faith or way of life to abide by these values is a recipe for conflict.
Muslim women have similar access to divorce as men, and are free to remarry if divorced or widowed.
As a mother, Islam puts women in a revered position. Much is made of the way Muslim women dress that is seen by some as a symbol of oppression. I find this quite amusing since I did not adorn the 'hijab' till I came to Canada and had the opportunity to study Islam. By conforming to the Islamic dress code that requires the covering of the entire body in loose non-transparent clothing except the face and hands when in public. Muslim women make a statement that they are not sexual objects that can be exploited or accosted.