Workshops Helping Women Stand Up to Forced Marriage

The Muslim Women's Network UK (MWNUK) has decided to hold workshops dedicated to finding solutions to eradicate the problem of forced marriage.

Although it is now a criminal offence in the UK, it appears that more education and awareness is needed. MWNUK is a Birmingham based charity and wants to provide women and girls with more in-depth knowledge about this huge problem in an attempt to unite in saying that it is against the law, against human rights and is an injustice.

Ms Vaid, executive director of MWNUK, said:

"We hope to achieve a cultural shift on this issue. We need to send a message out to victims and people at risk that help is available and advise them of the steps they need to take to prevent them from becoming a victim of a forced marriage."

Forced marriage was outlawed in June 2014 in England and Wales, and Scotland passed similar legislation shortly after with Northern Ireland making it an offence earlier this year. The offence is punishable by seven years in prison for anyone found guilty of forcing a person to marry.

The figures from the government's Forced Marriage Unit shows that they dealt with 1,267 cases in the UK last year, which shows that there is still a lot of work to be done.

More than a third involved women from a Pakistani background, followed by those of Indian (7.8%) and Bangladeshi (7.1%) heritage. They included 135 cases of people with disabilities and eight cases involving members of the lesbian, gay and transgender community.

The workshops that have been organised by MWNUK provide an opportunity to victims of forced marriage to share their experiences with women who attend so they are more well informed and hopefully provide them with the confidence that they require to be able report the offence should they fall victim.

The workshops are taking place in various locations such as Rotherham, Rochdale, Nottingham and Bradford.

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