Under-resourced services fail to detect forced marriages

The study, seen by CYP Now, has informed new government guidelines for health, education, police, housing and social care professionals, published today.

The study conducted by the National Centre for Social Research, and commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, found that inconsistent levels of awareness of forced marriage, guidelines and training across different agencies were common.

The government's Forced Marriage Unit has received 770 calls for help this year, up 16 per cent on 2008.

Based on a sample of 58 organisations across 10 local authorities, the research estimates that 97 per cent of those seeking help relating to forced marriage are Asian, while 41 per cent of reported cases concern victims under the age of 18.

Anne Kazimirski, who led the research, said: "Forced marriage is an issue that cuts across many services, including domestic violence prevention, child protection, health and education.

"The response to cases needs to be better co-ordinated across all services, especially at the local level, and needs to make better use of the expertise of the black, minority and ethnic voluntary sector."

The study calls on the government to integrate forced marriage into the broader policy on violence against women and girls, increase training around forced marriage issues and increase awareness-raising work, focusing on warning signs in schools, colleges and youth settings.