The law also makes it a criminal offence to force a British national into a marriage abroad. PHOTO: FILE
The law applies not only within Britain but also makes it a criminal offence to force a British national into a marriage abroad, as many youngsters are flown out to weddings in their ancestral homelands, particularly in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
Nearly two-thirds of the cases dealt with by the government's Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) relate to Britain's South Asian communities.
Campaigners welcomed the new laws as a "huge step forward", while the government hopes they will protect potential victims.
A practice wrecking the lives of unknown thousands of British-born youths, forced marriage has been increasingly exposed in the last decade.
"Forced marriage is a tragedy for each and every victim, and its very nature means that many cases go unreported," said Home Secretary Theresa May.
"I am proud to say that the UK is already a world leader in the fight to stamp out this harmful practice with the government's FMU working hard to tackle this terrible practice in the UK and overseas,” she continued.
"Today's criminalisation is a further move by this government to ensure victims are protected by the law and that they have the confidence, safety and the freedom to choose."
Last year, the FMU dealt with some 1,300 cases, 18% of them men.
Forty per cent of victims were aged 17 or under; three quarters were aged under 22.
Officials fear the number of victims coming forward is just the tip of the iceberg.
Meanwhile charities say few leaders with influence in their communities are prepared to take a stand, for fear of losing their support base.
The cases related to 74 different countries, although 43% were linked to Pakistan, 11% to India and 10% to Bangladesh.
Other countries with multiple cases included Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran and Tunisia.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said children as young as 12 had contacted them about forced marriage, with the numbers calling up two-thirds in the last year.
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Western societies are more tolerent to to her faiths and people are allowed to freely practice their faith. They are just secular and don't want anyone to impose their beliefs on anyone else. Perhaps that is confused as intolerance sometimes. By exams you can see how minorities have been forced too flee Pakistan due to the injustices done to them. And if western societies are so intolerant of Islam why are so many young muslims from Pakistan migrating there? As for forced marriages, it really isn't an argument that its evil to do this and the reasons behind it should be investigated and addressed whether cultural, social or religious. Just to say that its not permitted in religion doesn't mean ppl are not misusing religion to do this. So without finding the cause it is premature to assume motives. .
@Shock and Horror: Even in the recent Indian case in the UK, the family were Muslims. I guess, Muslims with children will now shun the UK.
Western societies remain Very rigid and incapable/unwilling to accept islam and muslims let alone accomodate them, it creates alot of stress among western muslims. They need to understand West is no longer judochristian muslims are sizeable population and laws should help muslims feel at home. There is à reason why muslims are making larger prison population in Europe and also incluses islamophobia. In north america natives were treated badly by white invaders, white Christians have à problem of considering others inferior after committing all the tragic mistakes in the history they are yet to learn to respect others
Its shocking to see Tribune publishing some rubbish comments of Indians here on website which poke fun at Pakistanis and are unethical. There should be a criteria in terms of moderating or deleting material which is degretory. Who are the editors on this website? Please don't publish material which is deregotary or inflammatory either from Indians or Pakistanis. There need to be some level of censorship. Its completely wrong for a non-muslim who doesn't know enough about islam to come to this website and get a stupid comment published linking islam to pedophilia. I will formally complaint against this.
Leaving aside India, which accounts for 11 percent of the cases, what is common between the countries with multiple cases? They are all Islamic countries!
We should be tackling the crime of forced marriage here in Pakistan also. It is a terrible practice. A person should have the full right to decide who and when to marry for themselves. No one else should have the right to make that decision for them.
@Riaz Murtaza: So you are telling me that the 6yr old girls who cannot even understand the concept of sex ,willingly get married to a man 10 times their age???
First,stop authorizing pedophilia in terms of marriage...
@Riaz Murtaza: "Forced marriage is not allowed in Islam" What about "love"in Islam? What if the girl falls in love with a non muslim??
Forced marriage is not allowed in Islam. Do not know, why some people do this. I believe it is a greed only. People love their close ones more than others. Forced marriages should be stopped in any case.
Forced marriage is tantamount to kidnapping and rape - 25+ jail term is more appropriate than 7 years. Since forced marriage tends to be "imported practice" they should consider revocation of citizenship and deportation as well - that should send the appropriate message.
good news for paki women in uk
ABOUT TIME .