There is a clear difference between a forced marriage and an arranged marriage. In arranged marriages, the families of both spouses take a leading role in arranging the marriage but the choice whether or not to accept the arrangement remains with the prospective spouses. In forced marriages, one or both spouses do not consent to the marriage and duress is involved. Duress can include physical, psychological, financial, sexual and emotional pressure.

The law is very clear that forced marriage is an abuse of human rights and an abuse of the rights of the child. 

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 16(2:
"Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.”

UN Convention on consent to marriage Article 1:
“No marriage shall be legally entered into without the full and free consent of both parties.”

The government regards forced marriage as an abuse of human rights and a form of domestic abuse and, where it affects children and young people, child abuse.

It can happen to both men and women although most cases involve young women and girls aged between 13 and 30. There is no “typical” victim of forced marriage. Some may be under 18 years old, some may be over 18 years old, some may have a disability, some may have young children and some may be spouses from overseas.

Parents who force their children to marry sometimes justify their behaviour as protecting their children, building stronger families and preserving cultural or religious traditions. They often do not see anything wrong in their actions.

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. Sometimes parents believe that they are upholding the cultural traditions of their home country, when in fact practices and values there may have changed.

Some parents come under significant pressure from their extended families to get their children married. In some instances, an agreement may have been made about marriage when a child is in their infancy. Many young people live their entire childhoods with the expectation that they will marry someone their parents select – some may be unaware that they have a fundamental human right to choose their spouse.

Isolation is one of the biggest problems facing those trapped in, or under threat of, a forced marriage. They may feel they have no one to speak to about their situation – some may not be able to speak English.

These feelings of isolation are very similar to those experienced by victims of other forms of domestic abuse and child abuse. Only rarely will an individual disclose fear of forced marriage. Therefore, someone who fears they may be forced to marry will often come to the attention of health professionals, police, social care services, education services or other professionals for various behaviours consistent with distress.

Young people forced to marry, or those who fear they may be forced to marry, are frequently withdrawn from education, restricting their educational and personal development. They may feel unable to go against the wishes of their parents and be threatened with disownment if they do – consequently they may suffer emotionally, often leading to depression and self-harm. These factors can contribute to impaired social development, limited career and educational opportunities, financial dependence and lifestyle restrictions. Studies have shown that self-harm and suicide are significantly higher among Asian women than other groups15 and contributory factors include lack of self-determination, excessive control, weight of expectations of the role of women and concerns about their marriages.

If you are concerned about a possible forced marriage, either for yourself or somebody else, you should contact Wakefield Council Family Services at Social Care Direct on 0845 8 503 503 or West Yorkshire Police on 0845 606 0606. If you are a member of the public, you can choose to remain anonymous if you would prefer.

Forced Marriage is a crime, and where a person is under 18, also a form of child abuse. Concerns related to forced marriage will be jointly investigated by the Police and Wakefield Council Family Services.