Home affairs select committee urges ministers and local authorities to prevent closure of groups helping victims
Forced marriage should be made a criminal offence to send a stronger message that it will not be tolerated, says a report by a cross-party group of MPs today, which criticises the lack of progress by successive governments on the issue.
Organisations such as the Southall Black Sisters and the Honour Network Helpline, which provide vital support to those at risk of forced marriage, are under threat of closure because of funding cuts, warns the report.
The cross-party Commons home affairs select committee says ministers and local authorities need to move quickly to prevent these services closing, which would "materially damage" ability to protect and support the victims of forced marriages.
The report says forced marriage remains an issue that affects thousands of young people in Britain, and, while more at-risk individuals are seeking help, there is still insufficient support. "This situation is set to worsen, with many specialist services at risk from spending cuts," it adds.
Keith Vaz, the Labour chairman of the committee, said: "Forced marriage is a serious issue that affects some of the most vulnerable individuals in the UK. I am very disappointed that progress on protection and awareness remains slow. I am also concerned that a loss of specialist support services due to spending cuts will stunt further progress."
Acknowledging that criminalising forced marriage would be a "bold step", he said there needed to be zero tolerance.
The report says schools are still reluctant to take action to protect their pupils, partly because they fear accusations of racism. "The committee urges the secretary of state to remind schools of their statutory responsibilities on an annual basis and make use of the inspection regime to improve performance."
The MPs found during the inquiry that the "highly respected organisation" Southall Black Sisters and the Honour Network Helpline are both under the threat of closure because of a potential withdrawal of funding by local authorities or government.
The report says such specialist voluntary organisations are a vital means of support for individuals at risk of forced marriages, who are often failed by statutory agencies or do not feel able to approach them.
The helpline was launched in 2008 by Karma Nirvana, the charity founded by Jasvinder Sanghera, a victim of forced marriage, and received 4,815 calls in 2010 – 63% from callers who had not reported their situation to the police, teachers or doctors.ends