Forced Marriage

National Domestic Violence 24-hour Helpline – 0808 2000 247. Find more support centres and helplines here.

If you’re in immediate danger, call 999

 

Support for victim of ‘honour’ based violence or forced marriage

Call them: 020 7008 0151

Email them: fmu@fco.gov.uk

 

Forcing someone to marry without their consent is a criminal offence.

A forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning difficulties or who are under-age, cannot) consent to the marriage and where duress is used to enforce the marriage. ‘Duress’ includes psychological, sexual, financial or emotional pressure and physical violence.

Forced marriage is a violation of human rights and is seen in the UK as a form of domestic violence and/or child abuse. It may affect girls, boys, women and men from any community or background. However, existing statistics show that greater numbers of women are affected.

Forcing someone to marry without their consent is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty is seven years imprisonment. It is also illegal to take someone overseas to force them to marry (whether the forced marriage takes place) or to marry someone who lacks the mental capacity to consent to the marriage (whether they are pressured to or not).