What is the legal position of a forced marriage?

There is no direct criminal offence in English law that makes it illegal to force someone into marriage. However, that is not to say that the law cannot help. In many cases of forced marriage, a criminal offence of some kind will have occurred, even if there has been no physical violence; fear of violence is enough. In some cases it is not only threatening behaviour that is an offence, but also assault, rape, kidnap, abduction and imprisonment.

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