What is forced marriage?
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Any person may be forced into marriage – this includes people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and religions.
A forced marriage is where one or both people do not or cannot consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used to force them into the marriage. It is also when anything is done to make someone marry before they turn 18, even if there is no pressure or abuse.
Forced marriage is illegal in the UK. It is a form of domestic abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.
Forcing someone to marry isn’t always physical, but it is always against the law.
The pressure put on a person to marry can take different forms:
- Physical pressure might take the form of threats or violence (including sexual violence).
- Emotional or psychological pressure might take the form of making someone feel they are bringing shame on their family, making them believe that those close to them may become vulnerable to illness if they don’t marry, or denying them freedom or money unless they agree to the ...
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