The government is considering making it a criminal offence to force someone to marry.
A consultation will be launched this year on new legislation to protect young people from forced marriages. Proposals will include making forced marriage an explicit abuse in child protection protocols, raising the minimum age for allowing people into the country for marriage from 16 to 18, and the introduction of a new specific criminal offence of forcing someone into marriage.
A joint Home Office-Foreign Officed Force Marriage Unit is to be
set up to investigate cases of force marriage and repatriate young
people brought into the country against their will to marry.
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/race/forcedmarriage/index.html
