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
- In the UK, call 020 7008 0151 (or from overseas, +44(0)20 7008 0151), Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm British time
- Outside office hours, call 020 7008 1500, and ask for the Global Response Centre
- Find out about call charges
By email
- Email fmu@fcdo.gov.uk (for non-emergency enquiries)
On social media
Report locally
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.
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.
Services
- Website campaigning to end forced marriage and other forms of honour-based abuse
Contacts and links
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
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
- Website
- Call 0844 504 3231 (urgent queries)
- Email info@sharan.org.uk (non-urgent queries)