Young women and girls most likely to be victims

Q: How will breach of a Forced Marriage Protection Order be dealt with?

A: In Scotland, the breach of an order is an automatic criminal offence, to ensure that victims, who could be in very serious danger, can get help from the police immediately without having to go back to court.

Q: Who can be affected by forced marriage?

A: Both men and women are forced into marriage, although most cases involve women and girls between the ages of 13 and 30. However, there is no “typical” victim of forced marriage. Of 1,735 contacts with the Forced Marriage Unit last year, 14 per cent involved a male victim and 86 per cent a female victim. Most reported cases in the UK so far have involved South Asian families.

Q: What is the prevalence of forced marriage?

A: As with domestic abuse generally, many cases go unreported. Many of the families involved do not see the marriage as “forced” and many victims will not to speak out. But with greater awareness of the help available, the number of cases reported is likely to rise.