Family Law Services | Forced Marriages
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014) made it illegal to force any person to marry against their will. Despite this, forced marriage is still an issue in the UK.
The number of forced marriage cases dealt with by a specialist British unit tackling the issue leapt to a record high last year.
The new figures released by the Forced Marriage Unit reveal they dealt with 1,764 cases in 2018, a jump of 47% from the year before.
Forced marriages are commonly associated with vulnerable young women suffering at the hands of domineering male relatives, but the statistics show it is a significant problem in Britain for young males too
Overall the number of forced marriage cases rose by 47% in 2018 compared to the year before – while there were 297 male victims.
A forced marriage is a serious violation of human rights. It refers to a situation whereby one or both parties do not or cannot (where a person has learning difficulties or another disability) consent to the marriage, and are coerced into agreeing.
If violence has been used or threatened, courts can add a Power of Arrest to the protection order. This will help to ensure the perpetrator is arrested and prosecuted. Orders are often made without notice, with the court accepting an undertaking from the party served with an orders prohibiting the above-mentioned abuses without a Power of Arrest. Since the orders have been made without notice the court is required to give the Respondent (the party served with the order) the opportunity to represent themselves regardiing any order made against them.
Forced marriages are illegal in Great Britain with offenders receiving a sentence of up to seven years in prison.
A forced marriage may mean taking someone overseas to force them into a marriage or attempting to make someone without sufficient mental capacity to consent to the marriage.
We can seek this order on emergency basis to protect you immediately.
Disobeying the force marriage protection order can result in 7 year in imprisonment.
Aramas Law work alongside many professionals to help tackle Forced Marriages in the UK. If you or anyone you know are experiencing a similar situation contacts us now for a confidential initial consultation on 0161 817 5014 or complete the form below and we will call you back when it suits you.