FORCED MARRIAGE SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

Transcription

1 SECTION 11 FORCED MARRIAGE SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE Intrductin A frced marriage is ne where ne r bth spuses d nt cnsent t the marriage and sme element f duress is invlved. Duress can range frm physical pressure, threatening behaviur, abductin r imprisnment, physical vilence r murder t emtinal, psychlgical, islatin and financial. A clear distinctin must be made between frced marriage and arranged marriages. In arranged marriages the families f bth spuses take a leading rle in arranging the marriage but the chice whether r nt t accept the arrangement remains with the yung peple. Frced marriages ften invlve dmestic vilence and if either spuse is under 18, it is child abuse. If a persn is under the age f eighteen Child Prtectin Prcedures must be cnsidered. In instances, where ne spuse has cme frm abrad, advice regarding immigratin status shuld be sught. Legal Psitin The minimum age f cnsent t marriage is sixteen, a persn between sixteen and eighteen years f age cannt marry withut the cnsent f their parents unless they are a widw r widwer. Althugh there isn t a criminal ffence f frcing smene t marry within England Wales a number f criminal ffences may be cmmitted including: Threatening behaviur Assault Kidnap, abductin and r imprisnment Rape The Impact n Children and Yung Peple The implicatins f a frced marriage fr the yung persn are ften extreme. Islatin is a majr prblem. They may feel they have n-ne t talk t abut their situatin and fear being utcast by their cmmunity if they cmplain. BACPC WEB PAGE:

2 A yung persn wh faces a frced marriage may be withdrawn frm schl and may nt be allwed t g ut with friends r t scial activities. They may feel they cannt tell anyne r seek help t escape a frced marriage, cnsequently they may suffer emtinally, leading t depressin and self harm. In sme reprted cases where yung peple have tried t escape a frced marriage by running away, the families have slicited hired help bunty hunters t find them and in a number f tragic cases the yung persn has been murdered. Schl based staff need t be aware that a yung persn facing a frced marriage may face significant harm if their families becme aware that they have sught assistance frm schl r anther agency. Cnfidentiality must be cnsidered paramunt. Symptms and indicatrs may include: EDUCATION HEALTH Truancy Lw Mtivatin Pr exam results Withdrawal frm Schl Self-harm Attempted suicide Eating disrders Depressin Islatin EMPLOYMENT Pr perfrmance Pr attendance Limited career chices Nt allwed t wrk Unreasnable financial cntrl etc cnfiscatin f wages/incme FORCED MARRIAGE FAMILY HISTORY Siblings frced t marry Family Disputes Dmestic Vilence & Abuse Running away frm hme Unreasnable restrictins eg huse arrest BACPC WEB PAGE:

3 Mtives Frced marriage can nt be justified n religius grunds; every majr faith cndemns it and freely given cnsent is a prerequisite f all majr faiths. Hwever, parents wh are intent n frcing their daughter/sn int a marriage may believe that they are uphlding the traditinal cultural practices f their hme cuntry, when in fact practices and values have changed. The fllwing list gives pssible mtives fr frced marriage: Cntrlling unwanted behaviur and sexuality (including perceived prmiscuity, r being gay, lesbian bisexual r transgender) particularly the sexuality and behaviur f wmen. Prtecting the family hnur. Respnding t peer grup r family pressure. Attempting t strengthen family links. Ensuring land, prperty and wealth remain within the family. Prtecting perceived cultural ideals. Prtecting perceived religius ideals, which are misguided. Preventing unsuitable relatinships, eg utside the ethnic cultural, religius r caste grup. Assisting claims fr residence and citizenship Fulfilling lng-standing family cmmitments. Understanding pssible mtives behind frced marriage des nt justify the actins f a parent frcing a yung persn int marriage. Frced marriage has many parallels with dmestic vilence and child abuse. Fr many yung peple turning t a prfessinal may be their last resrt. Many yung peple will nt even discuss their wrries with friends fr fear that their families may find ut. Often when a referral is made by a yung persn they may nt present it as a cncern abut frced marriage. The prfessinal that a yung persn may speak with culd be: A Scial Wrker A member f schl staff r Educatin prfessinal A member f staff frm the Yuth Offending Team A member f staff frm the Yuth Service A Health Wrker A Plice Officer A wrker within the Child Care Vluntary Sectr A persnal adviser frm Cnnexins Cases f frced marriage can invlve cmplex and sensitive issues that shuld receive the attentin f a wrker s first-line manager and be reprted t the Child Prtectin Unit (01274) BACPC WEB PAGE:

4 GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL CASES OF SUSPECTED FORCED MARRIAGE FIRST STEPS: See the yung persn immediately in a private and cnfidential place See the yung persn n their wn even if they attend with thers. Explain all the ptins t the yung persn and recgnise and respect their wishes. If the yung persn des nt want scial services t intervene, the wrker will need t cnsider whether the yung persn s wishes shuld be respected r whether the yung persn s safety required that further actin be taken. Where there are cncerns fr an individual under 18 r the yung persn has children, activate Bradfrd ACPC child prtectin prcedures and use existing natinal and lcal prtcls fr multi-agency liaisn (Wrking Tgether t Safeguard Children (1999) and the Framewrk fr the Assessment f Children in Need and their Families (2000)). The lcal scial services assessment team will initiate a strategy discussin (see 2.14 ACPC prcedures). This discussin shuld include sharing infrmatin, planning S47 enquiries, and if apprpriate agree n services t safeguard the child. Invlve the yung persn in the discussin, tgether with the plice and ther relevant prfessinals and detail in the plan which agency is taking what actin. Cnsider the need fr immediate prtectin and placement away frm the family. Refer t the lcal plice Child and Public Prtectin Unit (01274) ) if there is any suspicin that a crime has been r may be cmmitted, r the yung persn is, r has children, under 18. Liaise with the plice if there are cncerns abut the safety f the victim, their siblings r the victim s children. Ensure that S47 enquiries and assessment cnsider safeguarding and welfare issues regarding all children/yung peple in the yung persn s family. BACPC WEB PAGE:

5 DO NOT: Treat such allegatins merely as a dmestic issue and send the yung persn back t the family hme as part f rutine child prtectin prcedures. Ignre what the yung persn has tld yu r dismiss ut f hand the need fr immediate prtectin. Apprach the yung persn s family, friends r thse peple with influence within the cmmunity, withut the express cnsent f the yung persn, as this will alert them t yur enquiries. Cntact the family in advance f any enquiries, either by telephne r letter. Share infrmatin utside child prtectin infrmatin-sharing prtcls, except in cnsultatin with the line manager and the Child Prtectin Unit. The reasn shuld be recrded and signed. Breach cnfidentiality except where necessary in rder t ensure the yung persn s safety. Attempt t be a mediatr. ADDITIONAL STEPS: Infrmatin frm case files and database files shuld be kept strictly cnfidential and preferably be restricted t named members f staff nly. Give the yung persn, where pssible, the chice f the race and gender f the scial wrker wh deals with their case. Infrm them f their right t seek legal advice and representatin. In all cases, assess in cnsultatin with the line manager the risk f harm facing the yung persn and the staff member. Give the yung persn advice n what service they shuld expect and frm whm. Maintain a full recrd f the decisins made and the reasn fr thse decisins. Ensure that the yung persn has the cntact details fr their scial wrker/manager. BACPC WEB PAGE:

6 TRY TO: Refer the yung persn, with their cnsent, t apprpriate lcal and natinal supprt grups and cunselling services. Useful Natinal Resurces Freign and Cmmnwealth Office Cmmunity Liaisn Office Tel: NSPCC Child Prtectin Helpline NSPCC Asian Child Prtectin Helpline Apna Ghar (Asian Wmen s Centre) Canning Twn Public Hall 105 Barking Rad LONDON E16 4HQ Tel: Muslim Wmen s Helpline (Listening Services and face t face cunselling) Rm 7, 11 Main Drive GEC East Lane Business Park WEMBLEY HA9 7NA Tel: Asha (Asian Wmen s Centre) 13 Shrubbery Rad LONDON SW16 2AS Greenwich Asian Wmen s Prject (Kranti) (Refuge) Tel: Kiran Asian Wmen s Aid Tel: Newham Asian Wmen s Prject (Resurce Centre and Refuge) 661 Barking Rad Plaistw LONDON E13 9E Tel: BACPC WEB PAGE:

7 Useful Lcal Specialist Dmestic Abuse Agencies and Cntact details: Bradfrd Wmen s Aid Safe accmmdatin and emtinal supprt refuge ffer ut f hurs referrals; Outreach service t supprt wmen in discussing ptins. * Outreach: (01274) * Refuge: (01274) * On call referrals fr emergencies ut f ffice hurs (until 10pm n weekdays and 9am t 9pm at weekends). Tel: Staying Put Supprt t access legal services, lcks and alarms; help in accessing refuge r ther supprt netwrks * 24 hur helpline: * Office hurs: (01274) Plice Dmestic Vilence C-Ordinatr Varies with the lcal area: General Plice switchbard will cnnect yu t the crrect number. * (01274) Bradfrd NSPCC Humsaath Direct supprt; advice, infrmatin and practical help and recvery wrk and t link t relevant services. * Office hurs: (01274) Anah Prject Safe accmmdatin and cnfidential supprt fr Asian wmen ver 16 years: 24 hur hstel and utreach supprt. * Black Wmen s Supprt Prject Cnfidential supprt service and refuge accmmdatin fr wmen and children. * (01274) Sdasa Prject Cnfidential advice infrmatin and supprt; ffice hurs * Family Service Unit: (01274) / Bradfrd Law Centre Immigratin and husing advice. * (01274) BACPC WEB PAGE:

8 REMEMBER: Scial services have a duty t make enquiries when there is an allegatin f abuse against a yung persn. Circumstances may be mre cmplex if the yung persn is lesbian, gay, bisexual r transgender. Male victims f frced marriage may have difficulty in their situatin being taken seriusly. FOR THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES REFER TO: Yung peple and vulnerable adults facing frced marriage practice guidance fr Scial Wrkers (Freign and Cmmnwealth Office). 1. A yung persn wh fears they may be frced t marry. 2. A reprt by a 3 rd party f a yung persn having been taken abrad fr the purpse f a frced marriage. 3. A yung persn wh has already been frced t marry. 4. A yung persn repatriated t the UK frm verseas. 5. A spuse wh has cme t the UK frm verseas. BACPC WEB PAGE: