FORCED MARRIAGE UNIT LAUNCHED
(26 January 2005)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office today launched the joint Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) and issued new educational guidelines on the issue of Forced Marriage. The FMU will act as the Government's central point for forced marriage casework, policy and projects and will provide information and assistance both to potential victims and to concerned professionals. The unit will deal with approximately 250 - 300 cases each year and has helped to repatriate around 50 - 75 people a year who are involved in a forced marriage case. Approximately 85% of cases involve female victims, 15% male victims.

The educational guidelines have been drawn up following consultation with education professionals, NGOs and DfES. DfES has included information about forced marriage in new guidance "Safeguarding Children in Education" to raise awareness of the problem within local education authorities, schools, and Further Education colleges. It is hoped the guidelines will raise awareness amongst education professionals and equip them with the skills and understanding needed to help victims of forced marriage.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke said: "The compulsory practice of forced marriage represents a disregard for individual citizens, their dignity and the contribution they have made to society and that is why the Government is taking determined action to combat it.

"The new joint Home Office and Foreign Office Forced Marriage Unit is a further step in improving the assistance we can offer to those confronted by this abuse. In particular it is intended to be a clearly identifiable and well-known 'one-stop shop', providing information and assistance both to potential victims and to concerned professionals.

"The awareness raising campaigns which the Government has supported over the last few years have generated good support from secular and faith leaders from affected communities and this will continue to be an important part of the Government's Community Cohesion and Race Equality Strategy."

Baroness Symons, FCO Minister with responsibility for Consular Affairs, said "Today's launch of the new joint Home Office and Foreign Office Forced Marriage Unit moves us another step closer to protecting more young people from forced marriage.

"In the last four years we have dealt with more than 1,000 cases and helped repatriate around 200 young people to the UK. Now, by tackling this abuse at home, as well as abroad, we can try and prevent forced marriages, and prevent young people being exposed to the type of physical and mental abuse we have heard about today."

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