Forced Marriages

The facts about forced marriage are explored in this programme, with advice for teachers on what to do if they fear for the safety of one their students.

It is estimated that thousands of school-age children, both boys and girls, disappear from the rolls of British schools and colleges every year, and are forced into marriage. New legislation now gives teachers the power to go to court if they fear one of their students may be at risk.

Wayne Ives from the government's Forced Marriage Unit explains how you can spot the signs that a pupil may be in danger, and Narina, a teenager who escaped a forced marriage to her cousin in Pakistan, tells her story.

Shaykh Faiz Siddiqi from the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal explains why forced marriage really has nothing to do with Islamic law, and clarifies the difference between arranged and forced marriages.