India now third most likely forced marriage destination for UK

India has become the third most likely country where a British national is forced into marriage, the latest UK government data revealed, according to which Pakistan continued to record the largest number of such cases.

The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), a joint UK Home Office and Foreign Office government body, recorded as many as 110 cases of British nationals being subjected to forced marriage linked to the "focus country" of India in 2018.

Pakistan continued to record the largest number of forced marriage cases at 769, followed by Bangladesh at 157 and Somalia slipping down to fourth place with 46 cases last year.

"Forced marriage is not a problem specific to one country or culture. Since 2011, the FMU has handled cases relating to over 110 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America, the FMU said in its 2018 analysis released last week.

The figure related to India marks a rise from 82 in 2017 and 79 in 2016 and the breakdown found that almost 30 per cent of cases were linked to London.

The proportion of cases linked to India in 2018 was similar to previous years, states the FMU's statistical analysis.

There was a higher proportion of older victims as well as male victims compared to other focus countries. This is most likely due to the fact that many of these cases involved reluctant sponsors, it adds.

Laws making it illegal to force someone into marriage in England and Wales were introduced in 2014 and anyone found guilty of the crime can be jailed for up to seven years.

In 2018, the FMU said it gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1,764 cases. These figures include contact that was made to the FMU in relation to a new case through its public helpline or by email and general inquires. The majority of cases (75 per cent) involved women but a number of men also approached the unit for help.

"In 2018, 119 cases (7 per cent) had no overseas element, with the potential or actual forced marriage taking place entirely within the UK. This is a decrease compared with previous years, but continues to highlight that forced marriages can take place in the UK, the FMU said.

A forced marriage is defined as one in which one or both spouses do not (or, in the case of some adults with learning or physical disabilities or mental incapacity, cannot) consent to the marriage, and violence, threats, or any other form of coercion is involved. Coercion may include emotional force, physical force or the threat of it, and financial pressure, the FMU advice notes.

It differentiates itself from an arranged marriage, in which both parties have consented to the union but can still refuse to marry if they choose to.

As well as a legal ban, British police also has the power to issue Forced Marriage Protection Orders to help potential victims. Any breach of such an order is punishable by imprisonment.