This is the latest in a series of actions being taken in our region to deal with forced marriages:
- Launch of Choice helpline to allow reporting and provide advice and support for victims of honour-based violence and forced marriage.
- Further support to victims through the establishment of a North East base for Karma Nirvana, a charity that supports victims and survivors of forced marriages and honour-related crimes.
- Training across agencies to enable professionals to identify the early signs of forced marriage and honour-based violence.
Delegates heard first hand survivor’s perspective on forced marriage. Shazia, British-born, was taken out of school at the age of 15 and kept at home for nine months before being taken to Pakistan, where she was forced to marry her cousin, under duress, before being allowed to return to England. She eventually escaped from her home and has since re-built her life.
Jasvinder Sanghera, founder and director of Karma Nirvana, speaker at the conference said "I saw my sisters taken to India to get married but I didn't actually think it was going to happen to me. But I was shocked when one day my family produced a photograph and told me it was the man I was going to marry. So I ran away from home.
"The first place I came was Newcastle because I just wanted to get as far away as possible from my home in Derby. As a result I have built relationships with people and organisations in the North East and that is why I am setting up a branch of Karma Nirvana here."
The conference comes at a time that government is undertaking wide-ranging public consultation on Together we can end violence against women and girls. This sets out a commitment to work across government to tackle violence against women and children. Pat McManus is the lead on Private Space Violence policy at Government Office for the North East and can be contacted by email pat.mcmanus@gone.gsi.gov.uk
Inspector Helen Eustace, Cleveland Police’s Policy Lead for Domestic Abuse and Honour Based Violence was responsible for the launch of Choice helpline said that "Reports of incidents of honour-based violence and forced marriage are increasing significantly. This shows that all the hard work of the statutory and voluntary organisations is starting to pay off and people are finally feeling more confident in reporting incidents to the police. There is still a long way to go, but we are working really hard to ensure that all people whatever their ethnicity, culture or religion are allowed to make their own decisions in life and make their own choice of who they marry."
The Choice helpline is available 24 hours a day. 0800 5 999 365. Call in confidence. Call with confidence.
