Here is a quick note about a new law in England and Wales criminalising forced marriages which took effect on June 16th, 2014. This law also criminalises forcing a British national into marriage outside the UK.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: « Forced marriage is a tragedy for each and every victim, and its very nature means that many cases go unreported.« 

Everyone should have the freedom to choose the person she/he wants to marry and share his/her own life. In Western societies, we do not realize that forced marriage exist, but it does and we need to stop it as much as we need to stop it in developping and poor countries where forced marriage has terrible figures ! The Forced Marriage Unit created a video campaign to advise all kids who could be forced to marry someone they do not want to or even do not know.

The FMU gave advice or support in a possible forced marriage to more than 1,300 people in 2013 in the UK (18 percent of them were men).  40% of victims were aged 17 or under; three quarters were aged under 22. (Source: AlJazeera)

Freedom founder Aneeta Prem said: « In the most tragic cases, people forced into marriage become domestic slaves by day and sexual slaves by night. « Today’s announcement sends out a powerful message that this indefensible abuse of human rights will not be tolerated. »