Forced Marriage
Staff will need to be aware of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 available from the Office of Public Information
Staff should refer to the Government's guidance on forced marriage available from the Forced Marriage Unit web site: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/fco-in-action/nationals/forced-marriage-unit/info-for-professionals Staff should consult the document for guidance about how to differentiate between a forced marriage and an arranged marriage.
Forced marriage is defined as a marriage conducted without the full consent of both parties and where duress is a factor. (Working Together 2006 p.151)
Forced marriage is included within the Government's definition of domestic abuse .
Where there is a danger of a child or young person under 18 years of age being forced into a marriage, professionals should contact the Helpdesk (Phone 01952 385700) or the Emergency Duty Team. (01952 676500) who will consult with the police immediately. Advice support and guidance are available from the Forced Marriage Unit Tel: 020 7008 0230
Mediation as a response to forced marriage can be extremely dangerous to both the person involved in the marriage and the mediator. Refusal to go through with a forced marriage has, in the past, been linked to so-called ‘honour crimes’ (Working Together 2006 p.151) Staff must avoid this type of intervention