Forced Marriage

A marriage that is performed under duress and without the free will or full and informed consent of one or both parties.

A forced marriage may be between adults, a child and an adult, or between children. They are not limited to women and girls, as boys and men are also forced to marry against their will. Victims fall prey to forced marriage through abduction, deception, fear, coercion and inducements.

Western society and the United Nations view forced marriage as a form of human rights abuse. Victims of forced marriages often experience rape, physical violence, abduction, sexual abuse, false imprisonment and enslavement, mental and emotional abuse, and at times, murder. In response to the problem of forced marriages in the UK, the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 was passed, which enables the victims of forced marriage to apply for court orders for their protection.

A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties consent to the assistance of their parents or a third party in identifying a spouse.