Forced marriage
Forced marriage is a marriage entered into without the free and full consent of one or both people, often through coercion, threats, or abuse.
Forced Marriage Unit: A UK government unit that assists people affected by forced marriage and conducts prevention work. It offers a concrete example of specialized government support.
Jasvinder Sanghera: A British anti-forced-marriage campaigner and founder of the charity Karma Nirvana. Her advocacy helped bring forced marriage into public and policy debate in the UK.
Arranged marriage: A marriage in which families or intermediaries introduce or help select partners, while the people marrying retain the choice to consent. Family involvement alone does not make a marriage forced.
Intimate partner violence: Physical, sexual, or psychological harm inflicted by a current or former intimate partner. A coerced marriage can expose a person to ongoing partner abuse.
Forced Marriage Protection Order: A court order in England and Wales designed to protect a person from forced marriage. It can impose legally enforceable restrictions to prevent or respond to coercion.
Karma Nirvana: A UK charity supporting people affected by honour-based abuse and forced marriage. It provides survivor support and specialist advocacy in Britain.
Child marriage: A marriage or union in which at least one person is under 18. It overlaps with forced marriage but is a distinct category, including cases involving adults who lack consent.
Sexual violence: Sexual acts or contact imposed without freely given consent. Marriage does not create consent to sexual activity.
Convention on the Rights of the Child: A United Nations treaty setting out civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children. Its protections include rights to safety, development, and freedom from harmful practices.
Ann Cryer: A British politician who campaigned for action on forced marriage and related abuse. Her parliamentary work helped promote government attention to the issue.