Forced Marriage

A forced marriage is when someone (male or female) is faced with physical or emotional pressure to marry. The force may include threats of/actual physical or sexual violence, financial abuse (e.g., the taking away of someone’s wages) and/or the individual being made to feel they are bringing ‘shame’ on the family by refusing to marry. Forced marriage can take place in the UK and abroad and many people subjected to forced marriage are children who are still at school.

Forced marriage is illegal in the UK. It is a form of domestic abuse and also comes under the umbrella term of harmful practices. The Crown Prosecution Service recognises forced marriage as a form of so-called ‘honour’-based abuse and also recognised that so-called ‘honour’-based abuse can occur after a forced marriage has been rejected.

Although women and girls are often seen as the main subjects of forced marriage, men and boys can be forced to marry, too.

The criminal offence of forced marriage includes taking someone overseas to force them to marry (whether or not the marriage takes place) or marrying someone who lacks the mental capacity to consent to the marriage (whether or not they are pressurised).

Forcing someone to marry can result in a 7-year prison sentence. The legal age to marry in England and Wales is 18. It is a crime to do anything that would mean that a child is married before their 18th birthday, even if there is no violence, threats or other forms of coercion involved. As with all laws relating to forced marriage, this applies to non-binding, unofficial ‘marriages’ as well as legal marriages.

No major faith in the UK advocates forced marriage and it is a serious breach of human rights. Freely given consent is a pre-requisite of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Islamic and Sikh marriages.

Statistics from the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) show that in 2025 they received 1,295 contacts related to a possible forced marriage and/or possible female genital mutilation (FGM).

Of the cases in which the FMU provided tailored assistance in 2025:

• 163 cases (40%) involved victims aged 17 and under

• 122 cases (30%) involved victims aged 18 to 25

• 75 cases (18%) involved victims with mental capacity concerns

• 301 cases (74%) involved female victims and 105 cases (26%) involved male victims

The FMU records ‘focus countries’ – this could be the country where the forced marriage (or FGM) is due to take place, the country where it has taken place, and/or the country that the spouse is currently residing in. The ‘focus countries’ (other than the UK) with the highest number of cases in 2025 were:

• Pakistan with 165 cases (41%)

• Bangladesh which had 36 cases (9%)

• Afghanistan with 28 cases (7%)

• 58 cases (14%) had no overseas element, with the potential or actual forced marriage taking place entirely within the UK

Many child safeguarding practice reviews identify a lack of knowledge about a particular culture or faith as an issue leading to abuse often not being identified, challenged and or stopped. It has been identified that things like structural racism, unconscious bias and a lack of cultural competence among professionals can leave children and families from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic and cultural backgrounds at risk of harm.

The over-riding question should always be: “What does this mean for this child – is it harming them/likely to harm them in any way?” If the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘I think so’, we must take appropriate action. While different faiths/beliefs/communities/families have different practices, the definitions of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and neglect still hold true.

There is always a duty to keep the child safe, but when dealing with any allegation of child abuse linked to faith, belief, tradition and/or cultural practices, agencies must also engage with individuals, families and, in some cases, the wider communities to challenge the belief that underlies the harm. You may have a role in this, but your primary focus should remain the child’s safety.

When working with parents and carers, practitioners should prioritise a child-centred approach, fostering partnerships to ensure understanding, support and safety.

Remember:

Collaborative efforts are crucial, especially in cases of suspected harm.

Practitioners must engage effectively with diverse families, demonstrating empathy, respect and cultural awareness.

Communication should be clear, inclusive and accessible. Encouraging parental/carer involvement in decision-making and valuing their input is essential.

Involving families and communities in designing processes fosters a holistic approach to safeguarding children.

Continuous reflection and adaptation based on feedback from parents and carers enhance practice effectiveness.

Have you considered if:

• your setting is consciously working in an anti-racist and anti-discriminatory way and viewing safeguarding data and practices through an equality lens?

• the setting has ensured that student and family groups with protected characteristics are identified and supported?

• the setting’s safeguarding policy and any strategies related to safeguarding are easy to understand and accessible to all parents and carers, with consideration given to things like literacy, language and disability?

• the setting has ensured that all parents and carers know where to access up to date and evidence-based information about child development, definitions of child abuse and the laws which prevent harmful practices in the UK?