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If you’re being forced to marry

No one should be forced into a marriage against their will. If you or someone you know is being forced into getting married, you can get help - even if the wedding is overseas.

What is a ‘forced marriage’?

Forced marriage is when someone in your family or community makes you get married against your will.

For example, they could:

• threaten to hurt you if you don’t go through with it
• tell you that a relative is unwell and that if you don’t get married, their illness will get worse
• say that if you don’t get married it will bring shame on your family

It’s not the same as an arranged marriage. In an arranged marriage, two families arrange for two people to meet and get to know each other. Whether or not they end up getting married is up to the couple.

Getting help from the Forced Marriage Unit

You can get in touch with the Government’s Forced Marriage Unit for practical help and advice. Call them on 020 7008 0151 in the UK or telephone +44 (0)20 7008 0151 from abroad. Lines are open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

If lines are closed and it’s an emergency, call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 020 7008 1500 and ask for the Global Response Centre.

A trained professional will give you free, confidential advice on what to do. You will get information on your rights and what services are available to support you.

No one will contact your family.

Forced marriage abroad

You may be worried about being forced into marriage during a family visit overseas.

Before you go, call the number above to talk to someone from the Forced Marriage Unit. They will help you plan what to do next.

If you’re already outside of the UK and you’re a British national, they may be able to arrange for you to be brought back to a safe place.

Getting legal help to prevent a forced marriage (England and Wales)

If you live in England or Wales and want to stop a forced marriage you can ask a court for a Forced Marriage Protection Order.

You can use a Forced Marriage Protection Order to:

• stop a forced marriage from happening
• stop someone from being taken abroad
• get passports back
• make someone say where they’re hiding someone else
• stop intimidation (bullying) or violence

If you get a Forced Marriage Protection Order and the other person ignores it then they can be sent to prison for up to two years.

A solicitor, the police, your local council or a volunteer support service can help you apply for a Forced Marriage Protection Order. Use the links below to find someone who can help.

• Find your local council Opens new window

• Find a legal adviser Opens new window

• Find a police force Opens new window

Ending a forced marriage using UK law

It doesn’t matter if the marriage ceremony took place here or abroad, you can end a forced marriage legally in the UK.

The most common way to do this is by getting an ‘annulment’. An annulment is when a court says that the marriage was never legal in the first place.

Sometimes it’s easier to end a forced marriage by getting a divorce. A solicitor or other legal professional will be able to tell you which way is best for you.

• When you can annul a marriage

• How the divorce process works

• Find a legal adviser Opens new window

Getting help to end a forced marriage

The Government’s Forced Marriage Unit can help you leave a forced marriage.

Call them on 020 7008 0151 in the UK or +44 (0)20 7008 0151 from abroad. Lines are open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

If lines are closed and it’s an emergency, call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 020 7008 1500 and ask for the Global Response Centre.

A trained professional will give you free, confidential advice on what to do. You will get information on your rights and what services are available to support you. No one will contact your family.

Finding somewhere safe to live

The Forced Marriage Unit can put you in touch with housing services and other organisations that can help you find somewhere safe to stay.

There are safe places where you can go. They can give you emotional and practical help, such as counselling, help with benefits and somewhere to live.

Help with legal costs

If you need help with legal costs, you may be able to get legal aid. Use the legal aid eligibility calculator by following the link below.

• Legal aid eligibility calculator Opens new window