Honour based abuse

Forced marriage is illegal in the UK.

Under the Forced Marriage Act 2007, you can apply to designated courts in England and Wales for a Forced Marriage Civil Protection Order.

There is a very clear distinction between a forced and an arranged marriage. In an arranged marriage the families of both spouses take a leading role in choosing the marriage partner. However, the choice to accept the arrangement remains with the person. In a forced marriage, one or both spouses do not consent to the marriage, or consent is extracted under duress. Duress can include physical, psychological, financial, sexual and emotional abuse, pressure or coercion.

Forced marriage is primarily an issue of violence against women. Most cases involve girls and women between the ages of 13 and 30 years old, although there is evidence to suggest that as many as 15% of victims are male.

Sometimes, what starts out as an ‘arranged’ marriage can quickly escalate to a forced marriage. It is not uncommon for one of the participants to change their mind, even on the wedding day, only for their families to force them to go through with it.

Forced marriage cannot be justified on religious grounds. Every major faith condemns it and freely given consent is a prerequisite of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh marriages. Parents who force their children to marry often justify their behaviour as protecting their children, building stronger families and preserving cultural or religious traditions. Parents believe they are upholding the cultural traditions of their home country, when in fact practices and values there may have changed. Some parents also come under significant pressure from extended family to get their children married.

Whilst it is important to understand what motivates and drives the parents to force their children to marry, these motives should not be accepted as justifications for denying them the right to choose a marriage partner and enter freely into marriage.