16 July 2008
Combating forced marriage and honour-based violence were the subject of discussion at a road show in London today.
Speaking at the road show, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice MP announced that the Forced Marriage Act would come into force on 25 November this year. On top of current criminal protection, the Forced Marriage Act will provide civil remedies to protect victims or potential victims of forced marriage.
Justice Minister Bridget Prentice MP said:
'The government has made great strides in tackling domestic violence and forced marriage. The new Forced Marriage Act is a powerful tool and will go a long way to ensuring that no-one will be forced into marriage against their will and those already in such marriages will receive protection.'
Children's Minister Kevin Brennan joined Bridget Prentice at the road show to launch new materials for schools on the issue. This will include two posters, a leaflet and a discreet information card, which have been produced with the help of young people, schools, local authorities and support groups.
Children's Minister Kevin Brennan said:
'Schools have a crucial role to play in teaching children that forced marriage is wrong and telling children about the help and support that is available to victims and potential victims.
'I have written to all schools stressing the stressing the importance of raising awareness of this issue, especially in these critical last weeks before the start of the summer holidays.'
The road show brings together the Crown Prosecution Service, police, health services and local charities to increase participants' understanding of the problems of honour-based violence so that they are more prepared to spot the tell tale signs, share best practice from across the country and help those who suffer.
The government already supports victims of honour-based violence through a new national helpline for victims, partly funded by the government and run by charity Karma Nirvana.
Shazia Qayum of Karma Nirvana said:
'All the team at Karma Nirvana are survivors of forced marriage or honour-based violence. A forced marriage is a marriage where one or both partners do not consent to the marriage or consent is extracted under duress.
'Everyone has a right to choose who they marry and when they get married. You are not wrong for having made the brave decision to leave a forced marriage.'
The roadshow is the seventh in series of roadshows across the country organised by the government to help tackle honour-based violence.
The Home Office announced its intention to undertake these road shows around England and Wales in its Tackling Violence Action Plan which was published in February this year and which sets out crime fighting priorities over the next three years. Tackling honour-based violence is one of the priorities in this action plan.
Notes to editors
1. Previous road shows have taken take place in Birmingham, Manchester, York, Cardiff, Leicester and Cambridge.
2. The London roadshow took place at the Park Plaza Hotel in London.
3. Members of the public seeking advice, help and support on honour-based violence should call the joint Home Office/Foreign Office Forced Marriage Unit on 020 7008 0151. It receives around 5,000 calls each year.
4. The new materials for schools have been posted to all secondary schools, local authorities and Local Safeguarding Children Boards, and they are also available to download from the Every Child Matters website.
5. Honour-based violence is defined as a threat to someone's wellbeing because they have not, according to family and local community members, conformed to religious or cultural expectations. Examples could include individuals being forced to marry, kidnapped, being physically or mentally abused and in the worst case scenario being murdered.
6. Karma Nirvana is an Asian men and women's project. Karma Nirvana's staff and most of its 18 volunteers are survivors of forced marriage and 'honour'-based violence.
7. For further media enquiries please call the Ministry of Justice press office on 020 7210 8822.