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Contact us Crackdown on forced marriages in Lancashire
10:30am Friday 3rd July 2009
A CRACKDOWN on forced marriages is set to help avoid problems peaking during the summer holidays.
Schools, doctors, tea-chers and police officers across Lancashire have been put on alert ahead of a national ‘busy season’ for forced marriages’ and issued with guidelines to help them work more closely with each other.
The plan was annou-nced as it was revealed that cases of forced marriage dealt with by the Government’s specialist Forced Marriage Unit have trebled since 2005.
Detective Chief Insp-ector Justin Srivastava, deputy head of public protection for Lancashire Constabulary, said the national figures reflect an increase seen in Lancashire, where currently front line workers are dealing with five enquiries a week.
He said: “We have also had reports of an increase from our voluntary partners.
"Some of these are requests for help, others are just to get more information, but it shows more people are coming forward.
“There is a concern that children are more likely to be taken out of the country in the holidays but forced marriage is an issue at any time of year.
“I would like to stress to any victims that support services are available.
“We have many specialist officers who deal with this issue and I would urge anyone concerned to come forward.”
Cases of forced marriage dealt with by the Government’s Forced Marriage Unit have almost trebled since 2005, from 152 cases to 420 last year.
Victims in 14 per cent of cases are male, 33% are under 18 and 14% are under 16 years of age.
Of these reported cases, 17%, came from the North West with 105 incidents.
Many cases are reported before the holidays, when pupils raise concerns with their teachers that they could be forced to marriage while away from school.
New guidelines aim to help front line professionals to identify and protect children and adults at risk. Forced marriages are not the same as arranged marriages to which parties consent.
The Forced Marriage Unit runs a public helpline on 0207 008 0151 from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday.
For out of hours emergency advice, call 020 7008 1500.
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Your Say YourCitizen
Mike, Blackburn says...
12:36pm Fri 3 Jul 09
ashyuk, blackburn says...
12:52pm Fri 3 Jul 09
Heavy Metal Islam, Burnley says...
1:52pm Fri 3 Jul 09
The Labour Party idiots came in to power in 1997 and got rid of the Primary Purpose rule and made it very easy for a forced marriage to take place.
The new age 21 rule should have come in to force 21 years ago. Too little too late to save the lifes that have already been destroyed.
Labour panders to the Pakistani elders to win votes in Lancashire. But hopefully the days of Labour in Lancashire are over.
Much more needs to be done to save Pakistani boys and girls from forced marriages. The Age 21 rule is still TOO LOW and should be increased to 25 - only then would genuine marriages take place - rather the BOGUS marriages in the guise of FORCED MARRIAGES.
It is a CRIME that the BRITISH GOVERNMENT muppets have not done enough to SAFEGUARD and PROTECT the Pakistani boys and girls.
TONY WALES, NELSON says...
3:55pm Fri 3 Jul 09
Everybpdy knows this is just a scam to get more Asian people into this country. And they in turn get more of their relatives in.
If people wish to marry somebody of their own faith, you cannot say you don't have enough choice in this country.
Look at the choice of taxi drivers for a start, half the population of Burnley are taxi drivers.
Izanears, Nelson says...
4:56pm Fri 3 Jul 09
I came across this saying the other day, IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS AND GIVEN ENOUGH TIME, ANTS CAN EAT AN ELEPHANT
holsten pils, burnley says...
6:30pm Fri 3 Jul 09
Heavy Metal Islam, Burnley says...
7:16pm Fri 3 Jul 09
The British Labour Government know what is going on - but they will not stop this evil practice - because the Pakistani Muslims votes keep them in power.
If the age of inviting a married partner from Pakistan was raised to 26 from 21 - this will make the boys and girls wait 10 years from being able to call their partner over from Pakistan - most are forced in to marriage at a tender age of 16. That 10 year wait will be enough to be a deterrant
It is a modern day tragedy when a Pakistani woman with a Masters degree is forced to marry an illiterate, uneducated, peasant from the fields of Pakistan. Yet the British Labour Government sit back and pander for the votes. Why will they not increase the age of marriage from 21 to 26.
Or a new law as follows - Yes you can marry a partner from Pakistan - but you have to live together as husband and wife for 10 years in Pakistan - after that the marrying partner can join their partner in the UK - this new LAW will automatically stop forced marriages. Only the genuine lovebirds would then get married - no more forced marriages.
holsten pils, burnley says...
8:36am Sat 4 Jul 09
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
10:42am Sat 4 Jul 09
milty, blyth says...
11:35am Sat 4 Jul 09
Heavy Metal Islam, Burnley says...
4:36pm Sat 4 Jul 09
Until it continues to remain so easy to get a force marriage and ship over first cousins from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh - you will have an increase in your mosques, islamic centres and islamic schools.
The government must do more to safeguard and protect the young from the cancer of forced marriage.
The government is too scared to do anything - to offend the muslims, the fear of losing votes.
retired one, Blackburn says...
10:13pm Sat 4 Jul 09
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Wikidi, Accrington says...
12:04pm Fri 3 Jul 09
The British government has said that it does not allow any marriages if you are below 21 but as Pakistan is corrupt it does make false date of births.