ELLEN CHAN
From 2014 to 2016, the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation revealed 3,546 reports of forced marriage[1]. In 2017, Karma Nirvana (NGO) received 8,870 calls[2], and in the same year, the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) gave advice or support in 1,196 cases relating to possible forced marriages[3]. The FMU, jointly run by the Home Office and the Foreign Office in the UK, stressed that “forced marriage is a hidden crime, and these figures may not reflect the full scale of the abuse” in its March 2018 report, denoting a possibly higher number of cases that were never reported[4].
Common Misconception: Involvement of Female Victims Only
News and media reports often portray victims in forced marriages as females. The focus tends to rest on young teenage girls who have been forced to marry older (and predatory) men and the subsequent abuse that follows the marriages. That is not the full picture. Statistics show that while the majority (78%) of reports in 2017 involved female victims, the remaining 21% involved male victims. Earlier this year, the South Yorkshire Police issued the first male forced marriage protection order to protect a 19-year-old male from being coerced into a forced marriage arranged when he was five years old[6]. Detective Inspector Suzanne Jackson characterized this case as a “huge step forward”, in light of the common misconception that honour-based abuse only happens to girls and women[7]. It is hoped that this case not only brings to light this misconception but also encourages more male victims to seek help and support.
Common Misconception: Forced Marriages Only Occur in Less Developed Countries
The FMU flagged 65 countries as “focus countries”, with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Somalia and India as the four countries with the highest number of forced marriage cases. This appears to align with the common misconception that forced marriages only occur in less developed or developing countries. However, the FMU report shows that in 2017, 120 of the cases, making up 10% of the total number, had no overseas element, meaning the potential or actual forced marriage took place entirely within the UK[8]. This renders the misconception that forced marriages only take place in certain countries or locations false.
Modern Slavery
Although forced marriage is a criminal offence under section 121 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act[9], as of now, the Home Office does not recognize forced marriage as an indicator of modern slavery under the national referral mechanism; neither is there prosecuting guidance connecting forced marriage and slavery crimes[10]. Many, if not most, cases of forced marriage involve some form of abuse. Victims are often subject to sexual, verbal and domestic abuse. Parosha Chandran (human rights barrister) explained that “the modern-day meaning of slavery doesn’t require in law that you own somebody. Instead, it means you treat someone as if they were your property”[11]. Although UK leaders had referred to forced marriage as a form of slavery, they have yet to translate repeated calls for change into policy[12]. It is suggested that legislators should set out clearer guidelines to link the Modern Slavery Act with forced marriage cases to allow a clearer picture of the extent of abuse in these cases and to ensure perpetrators are punished in a just manner.
The UK has been further accused of turning a blind eye to the issue in relation to granting visas to foreign spouses in abusive marriages. There have been 175 inquiries about victims trying to block spouses’ visas from being issued last year according to figures released under freedom of information laws, and while 88 became full cases, visas were still granted in 42 cases[13]. It has been suggested that the underlying reason may be cultural or religious sensitivities. The government has been urged to address this issue.
Final Words
Many victims have been conditioned from an early age to believe forced marriages are normal. While the government has its part to fulfil in relation to the issue, schools and charities should provide training and resources to young children to help them recognize the rights that they possess, as in the case of Zalissan[14]. As a survivor notes in her memoir titled ‘Wings’, “forced marriage is not a cultural practice. It’s a form of child abuse and modern slavery and should be investigated and prosecuted as such”[15].
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/may/28/thousands-enslaved-in-forced-marriages-across-uk-investigation-finds
[2] ibid
[3] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/730155/2017_FMU_statistics_FINAL.pdf
[4] ibid
[5] https://www.freedomunited.org/news/forgotten-male-victims-forced-marriage/
[6] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/20/south-yorkshire-man-wins-protection-order-in-forced-marriage-first
[7] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-44537359
[8] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/730155/2017_FMU_statistics_FINAL.pdf
[9] https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
[10] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/may/28/thousands-enslaved-in-forced-marriages-across-uk-investigation-finds
[11] ibid
[12] ibid
[13] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/02/uk-accused-of-turning-blind-eye-to-forced-marriages-to-grant-visas
[14] https://www.amnesty.org.uk/knowing-rights-saved-forced-marriage
[15] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/may/28/beatings-rape-non-stop-work-uk-women-enslaved-forced-marriages
