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See other news storiesForced marriage helpline launches
11 April 2008
A new national helpline for victims of forced marriage and honour-based violence is now up and running.
Called the ‘Honour Network’, the dedicated helpline is run by the charity Karma Nirvana, which helps survivors of honour crimes and forced marriages. The phone line will is staffed by survivors who understand what the victims are going through.
Getting help
Anybody who feels they need help can call the helpline on 0800 5999 247.
If you're afraid you're going to be taken abroad and forced into marriage, you can also call the Forced Marriage Unit on 020 7008 0151.
A hidden crime
The new phone line was created by the Forced Marriage Unit, which is a joint operation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office. That unit already handles more than 5000 enquiries each year, and investigates 400 cases of forced marriages.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said the helpline is run 'by survivors, for survivors' to give victims the confidence to come forward and report the crimes they'd suffered.
'We recognise that the scale of these issues remains unknown, and that much of the problem stays underground,' Mr Coaker said. 'We are determined to continue engaging with local communities, and taking action to protect victims and put an end to this appalling practice.'
Jasvinder Sanghera, the founder of Karma Nirvana said, 'The Honour Network is about reclaiming the word "honour". It’s designed for victims, survivors or potential victims of honour-based crimes, to reassure them they are victims, not perpetrators.
'The network is designed to identify survivors so they can help support each other.'
More legal protection to come
The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act is scheduled to be implemented in the autumn. It will provide the courts with powers to make Forced Marriage Protection Orders to stop someone from forcing another person into marriage.
Where a forced marriage has taken place, the courts would also be able to protect the victim, and help remove them from that situation.
Learn more
Learn more about the Forced Marriage Unit (new window) on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.
