No, marriage is not a kind of punishment. However, marriage becomes impure if there is no mutual understanding between couples. It becomes punishable. So, couples have to understand to each other.
There is difference between mutual understanding and the culture of the people. Op mentioned some countries, so we need to know if it is the culture of the people of that place or it is a matter of understanding.
If it is culture what do we say about people that practice feminism.