Forced marriage in the UK: Religious, cultural, economic or state violence?

Abstract

Our paper is based on a qualitative empirical study of forced marriage in the UK and offers a multidimensional view which challenges four key points that are currently central in the forced marriage debate. First, the study explores the problematic of current UK and European Union policies on preventing forced marriage which focus on raising the age of sponsorship and marriage age for non-EU nationals migrating to the UK. Second, current conceptualizations of forced marriage focus on consent at the entry point into marriage. In contrast, survivors of forced marriage, and women's organizations experienced in providing services to this group, both attach equal importance to exiting (forced) marriages. Third, within the forced marriage debate, South Asian and Muslim communities are perceived as being largely responsible for forced marriages, whilst our research demonstrates that the range of communities in which forced marriage occurs is much wider. Fourth, forced marriage is often seen as a product of a 'backward' culture or religion in a pathologizing manner. The narratives in our study illustrate the interplay between culture, religion, poverty and state practices including immigration practices which points to the need for a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of forced marriage. We end our paper by outlining measures that could be put into place to support women experiencing forced marriage.

The experience of interactional justice for victims of ‘honour’-based violence and abuse reporting to the police in England and Wales

“…HBVA has become increasingly visible as a 'policy problem' (Bacchi 2009) within the UK over the past 10 years (Welchman and Hossain 2005, Brandon and Hafez 2008, Chantler et al 2009, Idriss and Abbas 2010, Thiara and Gill 2010, Gill et al 2014, Begikhani et al 2015, Julios 2015. In broad terms, HBVA relates to abuse perpetrated against individuals who are perceived to have acted contrary to values or norms identified by a community as consistent with 'honour'.…”

Spouse Sponsorship Policies: Focus on Serial Sponsors

“…Similarly in the U.K., limits are imposed by immigration provisions requiring evidence of a sponsors' ability to financially provide for the applicant, as the incomer is not entitled to welfare provisions for the first two years until they obtain indefinite leave to remain (Chantler et al 2009). Since July 2012, U.K. citizens and settled residents applying to bring a non-EEA partner to the country must meet a minimum income requirement of £18,600 per year before tax (Sumption and Vargas-Silva 2016).…”

“…Since July 2012, U.K. citizens and settled residents applying to bring a non-EEA partner to the country must meet a minimum income requirement of £18,600 per year before tax (Sumption and Vargas-Silva 2016). Although not directly targeting serial sponsors, in 2003 the United Kingdom enacted an eligibility criterion, which could minimise the risk of multiple sponsoring by increasing the age at which a British national could sponsor a foreign (outside the European Union) national from 16 to 18 years on a spousal or fiancé(e) visa as part of cross-governmental measures to tackle forced marriage (Chantler et al 2009). In England and Wales, however, a migrant woman who joins her spouse has temporary leave to remain, and cannot apply for indefinite leave until after a five-year probationary period (Gower 2013).…”

“…In England and Wales, however, a migrant woman who joins her spouse has temporary leave to remain, and cannot apply for indefinite leave until after a five-year probationary period (Gower 2013). This restriction 'problematically traps immigrant women in abusive relationships, as they face a stark choice between remaining in the relationship or leaving the relationship and being subject to deportation' (Chantler et al 2009). …”

‘All you need is love and £18,600’: Class and the new UK family migration rules

“…There have also been attempts to respond to the issue of forced marriage through adjustments to the immigration process, such as raising the age of sponsorship and marriage from 18 to 21-years-old for non-EU nationals migrating to the UK for marriage (Chantler et al 2009). Even once partners enter the UK there are further hurdles encountered on the path to settlement due to regulations set in place regarding the movement from temporary to permanent settlement for foreign partners.…”