The UK government issued warnings today about the probability of many teenagers being taken abroad and forced into unwanted marriages during the school holidays. Why they are issuing the warning now that summer is more than half over instead of before it began is not explained and is, in fact, inexplicable.
Ministers said there were concerns about teenagers being taken abroad thinking they were going on holiday but being forced into marriage instead.
Figures suggest cases are particularly common during the summer break.
The Home Office's and Foreign Office's Forced Marriage Unit had 400 reports between June and August last year.
Recent estimates suggest more than 5,000 people from the UK are forced into marriage every year.
More than a third of those affected are aged under 16. That’s close to 2000 children who will be sexually abused by their ‘husbands’.
"'Our Marriage: It's Your Choice' cards highlight that people who are at risk of forced marriage know they can turn to our Forced Marriage Unit for support, whether they are at home or are already abroad."
The government is also publishing plans to follow the example of Scotland by making forced marriage a criminal offence in England and Wales. This could mean parents who are found guilty of forcing their children into marriage face a prison sentence.
At least that is good news, a beginning. Please pray for these children to be spared if it isn’t too late. Please join my 3:15PM prayer group.
See Forced Marriages in the Ripped from the Headlines column for the full story.
Ministers said there were concerns about teenagers being taken abroad thinking they were going on holiday but being forced into marriage instead.
Figures suggest cases are particularly common during the summer break.
The Home Office's and Foreign Office's Forced Marriage Unit had 400 reports between June and August last year.
Recent estimates suggest more than 5,000 people from the UK are forced into marriage every year.
More than a third of those affected are aged under 16. That’s close to 2000 children who will be sexually abused by their ‘husbands’.
"'Our Marriage: It's Your Choice' cards highlight that people who are at risk of forced marriage know they can turn to our Forced Marriage Unit for support, whether they are at home or are already abroad."
The government is also publishing plans to follow the example of Scotland by making forced marriage a criminal offence in England and Wales. This could mean parents who are found guilty of forcing their children into marriage face a prison sentence.
At least that is good news, a beginning. Please pray for these children to be spared if it isn’t too late. Please join my 3:15PM prayer group.
See Forced Marriages in the Ripped from the Headlines column for the full story.
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