Modern slavery, particularly forced marriage, continues to remain a significant issue and concern in Australia. This practice involves compelling someone to marry without fully or freely consenting, often through coercion, threat or deception. This can occur when an individual is unable to understand the nature and effect of marriage due to their age and mental capacity.
Despite forced marriage being criminalised since 2013, there has been a spike in the number of cases and referrals in recent years. This year, there were two major forced marriage convictions in Australia.
The first case was in Perth and sadly resulted in the death of a newlywed woman. The second case occurred in NSW, where two teenage girls were rescued from forced marriage after escaping their father and seeking help from police. They were later supported by a forced marriage organisation and the Australian Federal Police.
Many forced marriages are unreported for a several reasons, especially when the victim/survivors fear getting their loved ones in trouble or are unaware that support is available.
These cases demonstrate the need for ongoing efforts in the prevention of forced marriage in Australia and to provide support and assistance to those who are experiencing these violations of human rights and abuses. These cases also show that raising awareness about forced marriage is critical both for prevention and intervention purposes.
