Investigation In The Uk Reveals Numerous Cases of Child Forced Marriages

An investigation by the Sunday Times newspaper shows that hundreds of children suffer forced marriages either within the UK or in their mother country. An illegal practice on which the British authorities turn a blind eye fearing to be accused of xenophobia.

PROFESSIONALS at every level are failing to protect hundreds of children who are removed from classrooms each year and forced into illegal marriage, an investigation by The Sunday Times has found.

For a decade, campaigners have fought to raise awareness of the practice, which has been illegal in England and Wales since June 2014. But the scandal of Britain’s “child brides” remains for the most part shrouded in secrecy.

The investigation has uncovered shocking cases including:

A girl aged six with learning difficulties who was married to an older man in Pakistan before returning to school

Girls as young as 14 becoming pregnant as a result of forced marriage

A nine-year-old from London who has been made the subject of a court order to protect her from marriage in Afghanistan to a cousin twice her age.

'Some may see forced marriages as a cultural or religious custom but in reality this is a form of child abuse'

Several charities such as ChildLine, Karma Nirvana and Freedom Charity fight against these practices and some even offer specific training to social services or the police in order to get their awarness raised.