UK: Secret Scandal of Forced Marriages

The true scale of forced marriage and “honour violence” could be vastly under-reported in Lancashire, it has emerged.

Lancashire Police does not have any official figures on suspected cases of forced marriage because it is not in itself classified as a crime.

It is only crimes linked to both issues, such as kidnap or assault, that can result in a conviction.

The Crown Prosecution Service has worked on just two honour violence cases since it set up a pilot in July to monitor and prosecute such crimes.

A CPS spokesman said the low level of such prosecutions could be down to victims being afraid to report it. It comes as the Lancashire Police

Authority urges potential victims of forced marriage to use the county’s network of women’s refuges and safe houses.

Authority member, Saima Afzal, who has prepared a special report on the subject, said: “It is very difficult to get girls to speak out as they live a very protected life and are unaware of their right to choices.

“Forced marriages should not beconfused with arranged marriages which are with the consent of both parties and accepted in Islam.

“Marriages where there is no consent from one party are considered null and void in Islam.”

When women enter the safe scheme, officers will inform families their child is safe and has chosen “time away” – but will not disclose their location.

Valerie Wise, director of Preston Women’s Refuge, said: “Forced marriage is a form of domestic abuse and we have helped victims in the past.”

A conference was held at police headquarters in Hutton, near Preston, to set up a planning group to tackle the matter.

The Home Office’s Forced Marriage Unit, which deals with such reports and repatriates many victims to the UK, has around 5,000 callers a year.

Of those, 300 are forced marriage cases and 30% are minors, some as young as 11. Around a fifth of forced marriages involve young men.

Source: Lancashire Evening Post – 29 February 2008