Forced Marriage is a wrong, not a right

The Church of England has supported moves to create a specific criminal offence of 'forcing someone to marry' in its submission to a Home Office review on the issue.

In the Church's submission, the Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Tom Butler, says: 'We strongly affirm the principle reflected in the consultation that forced marriages are wrong legally and morally. The idea of consent is key for the Christian understanding of marriage, and the very foundation of the concept of marriage in English law.

The consultation was organised to identify whether the longer term benefits of introducing primary legislation would help change ingrained attitudes to the issue and aid young people who face the prospect of entering a marriage against their wishes.

The Church's response is founded on the principle that non consensual marriage should be dealt with on the same basis as non consensual sexual relations, as an issue of fundamental human rights.

Rejecting the idea that existing legislation and protective measures are sufficient to prevent forced marriages, the Church's response points to the experiences of around 250 cases dealt with by the Government's Forced Marriage Unit each year - and many more such abuses which take place without being brought to the attention of the authorities.

The submission also highlights the importance of an integrated communications campaign to support the introduction of any future legislation in this area, to help alleviate concerns that new legal powers could be misinterpreted as an attack on one section of the community.

'It is also important that marriage based on consent, whether arranged or chosen by the couple, is not unintentionally undermined by legislation in this area,' concludes the Bishop.

ends

Notes to Editors

The subject of 'forced' marriages should be understood as quite distinct from 'arranged' marriages, where the potential spouses give their full and free consent to the arrangement proposed by their families.

Further information:

Church of England Communications Office
Church House
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3NZ 
Telephone: 020 7898 1326