Last updated:
31st January 2024
Forced marriage, honour-based violence, and female genital mutilation
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Forced marriage
A forced marriage is when one or both people don't or can't consent to getting married, but are forced to marry anyway. Although they can happen to anyone, forced marriages affect young women more than any other group.
It can happen in secret, be planned by people close to the victims such as family or religious leaders, and can involve violence, threats, or manipulating someone's feelings. Forced marriage is illegal in the UK and recognised as a form of domestic or child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.
To read about your rights and who you can go to if you or someone you know is at risk of being forced into marriage, see our Forced marriage web page and visit the websites below:
The Government's forced marriage resource pack
Honour-based violence (HBV)
For some communities, the concept of ‘honour’ is prized above the safety and well-being of individuals. To compromise a family’s ‘honour’ is to bring dishonour and shame – which can have severe consequences. See our honour based abuse web page and the websites linked below for more information and services that can help you.
True Honour: Honour-Based Violence & FGM Support Centre
Female genital mutilation (FGM)
Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting (FGC), is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured, or changed, but there is no reason for this to be done. It is very painful and can seriously harm the health of women and girls, often causing long-term problems with sex, childbirth, and mental health.
For more information and places you can go for support, see our female genital mutilation web page and the websites linked below.
