Government set for forced marriage and domestic abuse consultations

Reports that the Government is planning to use the criminal law to protect victims of domestic violence and forced marriages will be a welcome one for campaigners.

According to reports at the weekend, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is set to launch a consultation to consider proposals as to how domestic violence should be defined for these purposes. The consultation on forced marriage, the Daily Telegraph reported, is to be under the control of the Home Office and is expected to focus of introducing a specific criminal offence.

Over 1700 reports of possible forced marriage were received by the government's Forced Marriage Unit last year and the alarming figures led to the all-party Home Affairs Select Committee calling for it to be criminalised earlier in the year.

But some ministers fear that such a move would discourage victims from coming forward. Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone said in September the issue to make it a criminal offence was not on the government's agenda.

She said that the government was keener on protection, raising awareness and making sure that those who may be subjected to a forced marriage knew they were protected. But a month later, Prime Minister David Cameron, who described forced marriage as "little more than slavery", announced that he was making it a criminal offence to breach a court order to prevent a forced marriage. He also shared concerns that criminalisation could make it less likely for those at risk to come forward but said the problem was not one that should be shied away from.

Scotland made big steps last month, becoming the first nation in the UK to implementing a new law which protects people from being married against their will and providing victims with greater help and protection from the law.

There are also plans to introduce changes to domestic violence law and examine how abuse of spouses and partners should be defined.