Forced Marriage

This is when pressure or abuse is used to make someone marry against their will. 

Pressure used on young people may include: 

• Physical harm – threats or actual physical and/or sexual violence 

• Emotional and psychological abuse – being made to feel they are bringing shame on  
  the family 

• Financial – wages may be taken or money restricted 

UK Law states that the youngest age at which you can marry is 16 BUT you must have your parents’ permission.  When you are 18, you can marry without your parents’ permission.  The Law also states that both of the people getting married must agree to it. 

Reporting: 

If you are being forced into a marriage against will, or you are concerned about someone else, you can: 

• Speak to our Designated Safeguarding Lead, a tutor/teacher – someone you trust 

• Contact the Forced Marriage Unit who have specifically trained staff to help and  
  work out an action plan. 

• Call n (in UK) 020 7008 01515 

• Or (outside UK) 0044 7008 0151 

• email fmu@fc.gov.uk 

The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) is a joint Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Home Office unit that leads on the government’s forced marriage policy, outreach and casework.  It operates both inside the UK and overseas (providing consular assistance to British nationals and dual nationals). 

www.gov.uk : Forced Marriage Unit 

 
Links to external support services: 

Karma Nirvana  -  Offer support, information and help with rehousing to victims of forced marriage, domestic abuse and honour-based crimes.  Offers a bi-lingual service: 

Confidential helpline – 01332 604098 
Karma Nirvana 

 
Childline – Provide help and advice to young people on all matters of abuse, exploitation and forced marriage.  

Call – 0800 1111 (calls are free from most networks) 
Childline - (Website has a ‘cover my tracks’ facility to hide visits to their site from your search history) 

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Female Genital Mutiliation (FGM) 

This is often called ‘female cutting’ or ‘female circumcision’ and is described by the WHO as any procedure involving the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. 

FGM is illegal in the UK and carries a penalty of up to 14 years in prison. 

FGM is classed as child abuse [Female Genital Mutiliation Act 2003 amended 2015] and it is illegal to: 

• Perform FGM in the UK 

• Assist or arrange for anyone to carry out FGM outside the UK on girls who are British  
  Nationals or habitual UK residents 

• Assist a girl to carry out FGM on herself 

• Fail to protect a girl from the risk of FGM 

FGM carries a mandatory reporting duty and parental liability. 

www.gov.uk : FGM - the facts 

Warning indicators: 

• Significant changes in behaviour/demeanour 

• Absence from school, particularly after a trip to an FGM practising country 

• Spending long periods of time out of the classroom 

• Spending longer than usual going to the toilet 

• Avoiding going to the toilet 

• Discomfort when sitting 

• Avoiding physical exercise (PE classes) 

• Frequent menstrual or urinary infections 

NOTE:  Often, children are completely unaware that FGM is going to take place; this can mean very few warning signs before it occurs. 

 
Reporting: 

National FGM Helpline:    0800 028 3550 

Police:   101 or, in an emergency, 999 

FORWARD :  0208 960 4000 (support if you suspect a girl has already undergone FGM) 
 

 Links to external support services: 

National FGM Centre:    http://nationalfgmcentre.org.uk/ 

NHS Choices:  NHS Female Genital Mutilation FGM 

NSPCC:  NSPCC:  Child Abuse - Female Genital Mutilation 

Womankind:  Links to further support sites & contact numbers