Forced Marriage-Culture or Crime? Part I.

‘Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses .’

It is important to begin by acknowledging the above statement, which is part of Article 16(2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and also to distinguish between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage.

An arranged marriage is ‘a marriage planned and agreed by the families or guardians of the couple concerned ’, while a forced marriage is ‘a marriage conducted without the full consent of both parties and where duress (emotional pressure either in addition to physical abuse or on its own) is a factor’ .