Forced marriage
We understand that forcing a person into a marriage is a crime in England and Wales. We know that a forced marriage is one entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties and where violence, threats or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person to enter into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological. A lack of full and free consent can be where a person does not consent or where they cannot consent (if they have learning disabilities, for example). Nevertheless, some perpetrators use perceived cultural practices as a way to coerce a person into marriage. We play an important role in safeguarding children from forced marriage.
We will follow the Forced Marriage Unit published statutory guidance and Multi-agency guidelines. Our staff can contact the Forced Marriage Unit if they need advice or information, contact: 020 7008 0151 or email fmu@fco.gov.uk