Forced Marriage: It’s criminal

Victory was celebrated by campaigners and victims all over the country last week, as the government set a powerful message about forced marriages. On 16th June 2014, this modern form of slavery was made a criminal offence in the UK, with a punishment of up to seven years in prison.

With the government’s forced marriage unit dealing with 1,302 cases last year, the problem had to be tackled. Evidence has shown that many families feel they have a duty to ensure that their son or daughter is married, putting pride first before the safety of their own child, however forcing them into marriage should not be an option. Victims have been terribly abused with many committing suicide. This is no way for any man, woman or child to be treated, scared for the rest of their lives.

Home Secretary Theresa May said:

Forced marriage is a tragedy for each and every victim, and its very nature means that many cases go unreported”.

With victims being traumatised and many even treated as slaves, the new law has bought hope for victims of forced marriages. Campaigners have welcomed the new law under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act with open arms, allowing victims the freedom to choose.

OBV graduate Jasvinder Sanghera, founder of the Karma Nirvana charity, who supports victims and survivors of Forced Marriage and Honour Based Abuse was also a victim of forced marriage. She ran away and was disowned by her family. She kept in touch with her sister, who was also being forced into marriage, and later on committed suicide. She welcomed the new law, saying that it was a "historical day and the right move" to tackle the issue of forced marriages and abuse:

Nobody is going to be forcing you to prosecute or criminalise your parents. Reporting is the first thing you have to do and it will be your choice to pursue a criminal justice process."

Aneeta Prem, founder of Freedom Charity, which educates young people about forced marriage, said the law sent out a "powerful message that this indefensible abuse of human rights will not be tolerated".

Many campaigners have described June 16th as a historical day for victims and the government has taken the right path to tackle forced marriages, as before courts were only able to issue civil orders.

With victims having the support of a number of charities, the government and now the courts, we hope victims will be able report their situations, knowing a number of options are available to them. Home Secretary Theresa May, has been working alongside the Freedom Charity and many others on their campaign Freedom2Choose, to try and promote the new changes to the law and to show that every individual has the right to make their own decisions.

Roshni Vekereya