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Forced marriage

Warning Forced marriage is illegal. If there is immediate danger to you or someone else, call the police immediately on 999.

Under UK law, you have the right to choose who to marry, or if you marry at all. Forced marriage is a form of domestic abuse and a serious violation of human rights. 

Find out more 

The GOV.UK website has detailed information on forced marriage, the law and how to escape this human rights abuse. 

UK law

It is illegal in England and Wales to force you to marry someone if you don't want to, or are unable to give your consent. If you're under 18, this is child abuse. The penalty for someone who arranges or carries out a forced marriage is up to seven years in prison.

It is breaking the law to do any of the following:

  • Marry someone who doesn't have the capacity to consent. This could be because of any of the following reasons:
    • They are under 18 years of age
    • Someone has given them drugs, alcohol or medication to make them 'consent'
    • Someone has kidnapped, hurt, pressured or threatened them, to force them to 'consent'
    • They are a vulnerable adult (for example, because of a severe mental impairment, serious mental illness, or dementia) 
  • Take someone overseas with the aim of forcing them to marry, even if the marriage doesn't take place 

Report it

National

Contact the national Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) if any of the following apply

  • You’re trying to stop a forced marriage from happening.
  • You need help leaving a marriage that someone has forced you into. 
  • You know of someone who is in a forced marriage and would like to leave.

By phone

By email

On social media

Report locally

Contact the police

Contact us

  • If you believe a child or young person is at risk of abuse and would like to report a concern, please call B&NES Childrens Social Care Team on 01225 396312 or 01225 396 313 during normal office hours, or 014 5461 5165 for our out of hours emergency duty team. 
  • For adults with care and support needs, please ring B&NES Community Services team on 01225 396000

Prevent it

You can apply for a forced marriage protection order if one of the following applies:

  • You or someone else is being threatened with a forced marriage.
  • You’re in a forced marriage.

The order will be designed to protect you, according to your individual circumstances, for example to stop someone taking you out of the UK. 

Warning You could go to prison for up to five years, if you disobey a forced marriage protection order.

Get support

There are a wide variety of organisations which can offer emotional, legal and medical help to anyone affected by forced marriage. Many are staffed by, or aim to support, particular communities, and also offer services related to other forms of abuse. You may prefer to see someone locally, or contact an organisation by phone or online.

Read the handbook about being a survivor of forced marriage. It has details of organisations that can give you help and advice.

Rights of women

Services

  • UK charity working to give women advice on the law and their human rights, covering a wide range of topics, including family law, abuse and forced marriage

Contacts and links

Services are not 24hr
In an emergency please contact the police

The Sharan Project

Services

  • Information and advice for women who have been (or may be) disowned by their families, due to forced marriage or honour-based abuse
  • Advice and support on housing, finance, education, health and employment
  • This organisation has particular links with the South Asian community

Contacts and links