PARENTS caught trying to force daughters into “horrific” arranged marriages would have their passports torn up and be forced to reveal to authorities where their child could be found, under tough new NSW government laws. Just days after prominent Melbourne imam Ibrahim Omerdic was charged with facilitating the forced marriage of a child under 16, […]

West Midlands Police has secured 28 civil court orders to protect victims of forced marriage as it emerged the region is the second worst in the country for the problem. The force revealed this week that it has applied for four civil orders and supported a further 24 successful cases brought by partner agencies. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/revealed-police-secure-court-orders-12403573

Girls across England have reportedly been taking part in genital mutilation parties. In particular, African midwives are being flown to England to perform the illegal practice, referred to as FGM, on young girls, a charity group in Leeds called Black Health Initiative told BBC News in a Tuesday report. “We know of parties happening here in […]

Protocol is key component of CPS’s Action Plan The Crown Prosecution Service and police have published the first ever joint honour-based violence/abuse and forced marriage protocol, outlining their commitment to the successful investigation and prosecution of these crimes. The protocol recognises the importance of strong partnership working between these two agencies. The protocol highlights the unique […]

UK MPs have backed a family’s campaign for a new investigation into the alleged honour killing of a British Sikh woman while she was on holiday in India. Seeta Kaur, who has been named for the first time this week after her case emerged earlier this month, was a mother of four who died in […]

An amended law that toughens penalties for female genital mutilation to up to 15 years in jail has come into effect, the health ministry announced Sunday. Health ministry officials will monitor and oversee clinics and private hospitals to enforce the anti-FGM law that came into effect last Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement. Under […]

More than 30,000 children were missing from schools in England and Wales for substantial periods of time in the 2014-15 academic year, local education authority figures show. Of these, almost 4,000 children could not be traced by the authorities. The National Children’s Bureau said some may be at “serious risk” of abuse and exploitation, including […]

More than 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) or cutting. The practice has now been outlawed in some African countries, but not in Sierra Leone, where some cutters are still proud of their profession.   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38016161

Once again we hear of another girl murdered in Pakistan, murdered by her brother for choosing to marry the man she loved. The man she loved was a Christian who had converted to Islam to please her family thinking this was enough to be accepted. Converting to Islam made no difference to his wife’s family […]