The number of victims of forced marriage in the United Kingdom has reached its highest ever level.
The Forced Marriage Unit, set up to tackle this issue, reports that the figures have risen by 47%, with 1,764 cases reported, the highest number on record.
This is not necessarily a sign that forced marriage is on the rise though. The Forced Marriage Unit say that this could be down to increased awareness of ways to report the crime coupled with more accurate data analysis methods.
What is forced marriage?
You have the right to choose who you marry, when you marry or if you marry at all.
Forced marriage is when you face physical or mental pressure to marry.
This can come in the form of threats, physical violence or sexual violence and include the pressure to marry if you’re made to feel like you’re bringing shame on your family.
This is illegal in England and Wales and the law also includes taking someone abroad, against their volition, to marry them or marrying someone that doesn’t have the mental capacity to consent to that decision.
Has their been an improvement from the previous year?
Well, in 2017, there were 1,196 cases reported to the Forced Marriage Unit.
Around 25% of the victims were under the age of 18 and 20% of them involved a male victim.
This year’s data shows an increase, to 33% of cases, involving a child under the age of 18, but there has been a fall in the number of male victims, to 17%.
According to the FMU, 25% of forced arrangements involve those under-18 and another 20% involve male victims. Credit: Getty Images
How are the government tackling this issue?
The Forced Marriage Unit was set up in 2005 with the express aim of tackling this issue.
It works predominantly with the Home Office however it has been liaising more frequently with the Foreign Office recently.
This is because many of the cases involve British citizens being forcibly taken out of the country.
The Unit has emphasised that forced marriage is not a problem that originates from one specific country or culture.
The unit tackled cases from over 90 countries in 2018.
The Forced Marriage Unit has been working with children’s charities too because under-18s have been designated as most at risk from forced marriage.
The NSPCC and Childline have both set up designated hotlines to give help to children affected by this crime.
A Childline spokesman said: “We urge anyone worried about a child to speak up before its too late.
We will be able to get help and prevent them from being bound into something they would never ask for.”
If you are affected by any of the issues in this article there are helplines available.
Childline Helpline – 0800 1111
NSPCC Helpline – 0808 800 5000
Forced Marriage Unit Helpline – 020 7008 0151
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HeadlineForced Marriage in the UK on the rise
Short HeadlineForced Marriages in the UK rise by 47%
StandfirstThe Forced Marriage Unit reports the highest number of Forced Marriages since statistics began to be analysed
The number of victims of forced marriage in the United Kingdom has reached its highest ever level.
The Forced Marriage Unit, set up to tackle this issue, reports that the figures have risen by 47%, with 1,764 cases reported, the highest number on record.
This is not necessarily a sign that forced marriage is on the rise though. The Forced Marriage Unit say that this could be down to increased awareness of ways to report the crime coupled with more accurate data analysis methods.
What is forced marriage?
You have the right to choose who you marry, when you marry or if you marry at all.
Forced marriage is when you face physical or mental pressure to marry.
This can come in the form of threats, physical violence or sexual violence and include the pressure to marry if you’re made to feel like you’re bringing shame on your family.
This is illegal in England and Wales and the law also includes taking someone abroad, against their volition, to marry them or marrying someone that doesn’t have the mental capacity to consent to that decision.
Has their been an improvement from the previous year?
Well, in 2017, there were 1,196 cases reported to the Forced Marriage Unit.
Around 25% of the victims were under the age of 18 and 20% of them involved a male victim.
This year’s data shows an increase, to 33% of cases, involving a child under the age of 18, but there has been a fall in the number of male victims, to 17%.
According to the FMU, 25% of forced arrangements involve those under-18 and another 20% involve male victims. Credit: Getty Images
How are the government tackling this issue?
The Forced Marriage Unit was set up in 2005 with the express aim of tackling this issue.
It works predominantly with the Home Office however it has been liaising more frequently with the Foreign Office recently.
This is because many of the cases involve British citizens being forcibly taken out of the country.
The Unit has emphasised that forced marriage is not a problem that originates from one specific country or culture.
The unit tackled cases from over 90 countries in 2018.
The Forced Marriage Unit has been working with children’s charities too because under-18s have been designated as most at risk from forced marriage.
The NSPCC and Childline have both set up designated hotlines to give help to children affected by this crime.
A Childline spokesman said: “We urge anyone worried about a child to speak up before its too late.
We will be able to get help and prevent them from being bound into something they would never ask for.”
If you are affected by any of the issues in this article there are helplines available.
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