Forced Marriage Awareness - Advice and Support

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Forced Marriage and Foreign Travel

Forced Marriage may occur overseas. The person may be tricked into traveling abroad on the pretence to see a dying or sick relative or even a family holiday. If they find themselves in this situation, their experience may be similar to that of a hostage. If foreign travel is mentioned and there is a fear that this may be a means of forcing a marriage, ensure they are aware and prepared for the various difficulties they may encounter if they want to return to the UK.

Areoplane Possible difficulties they may encounter when abroad:

They may find it impossible to communicate by telephone and email
Individuals may not have access to their passport or money
Young women may not be able to leave the house unaccompanied
They may not receive the support they expect from neighbours, local police, family friends or taxi drivers
They may also find themselves subjected to violence or threats of violence

If a person is concerned about the motives behind foreign travel, that person should be advised not to go. However sometimes foreign travel is unavoidable. Below is a list of precautions that can be taken prior to leaving.

Precautions to take should foreign travel become unavoidable:

Contact the Community Liaison Unit at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This unit deals specifically with cases of forced marriage. It can offer advice and assistance both in the UK and the country that us being visited.
Give them a copy of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Leaflet "Forced Marriages Abroad", and discuss the content with them. Copies are available from the Community Liasion Unit; some of the information is also held on http://www.fco.gov.uk/.
Supply the address and contact number of the nearest Embassy / High Commission in the country that is being visited. A list is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth website, who can also be contacted if you are unsure of which embassy is the nearest. The British Embassy can help by:

Issuing emergency passports
Assisting with safe accommodation and transport
Working to help the victim return to the UK

Advise them to take emergency cash in case problems arise in the country of destination together with contact details of someone they can trust to help them
Advise them not to drink or eat anything offered before the flight as it may be drugged. Remind them that they can always ask for help at the airport - by screaming if necessary.
Contact the airport prior to departure as the airport police will be able to assist.