How can we stop arranged marriages

The key points in the Act are summarised below. To marry in the Netherlands both partners must be at least 18 years old. A marriage contracted abroad by children under the age of 18 child marriage will only be recognised in the Netherlands once both partners have reached the age of The same condition applies to same-sex partners, for example two male cousins or an uncle and nephew who wish to marry.

Polygamous marriages contracted abroad by a Dutch citizen or resident of the Netherlands are not recognised in the Netherlands. In some cases the cooperation of the husband is required to end a formal or informal religious marriage. There are signs you can look for in someone who may be at risk : Summer holidays are a risky time where a young person is being taken overseas.

You may be aware of a contact who is about to be taken on such a holiday and is nervous and not looking forward to going. The person may become depressed, start self-harming, or start to abuse alcohol or drugs. You may notice that they are spending unexplained periods away from school or work, or they suddenly stop attending.

You can never be with them without a family member insisting on being with them. You are suspicious that family violence or abuse is occurring.

There is an established family trend of children marrying under the age of Your contact may tell you that they are engaged but they are not showing any pleasure at this. But there is support available in the US. Some extra advice if you are trapped in a forced marriage situation Your best chance of avoiding a forced marriage is to not leave the US if at all possible.

It is also used to control sexuality or unwanted relationships, to uphold cultural and religious ideals, to procure legal documentation and citizenship or to care for disabled family members to avoid stigma. Chastity and honour within the community is often a significant factor: in some cases, someone who has experienced rape is forced to marry her rapist to protect her reputation. Another victim, from the north of England, was betrayed by her family and forced to marry her husband who raped her daily.

They met a day before the wedding when she was just As a child she was taken to Somalia where she has the most invasive form of female genital mutilation. She later confided that on her wedding night, her husband cut her open with a knife so he could consummate their marriage.

UK charity Refuge say that you could be a victim of forced marriage if:. The wider community can also learn how to spot the signs of forced marriage. The Runaway Helpline organisation list the following signs people can look out for who might be concerned that someone they know is going to be forced into marriage. Forced Marriage Unit www. The Modern Slavery Helpline She plans to manufacture game-sets in Pakistan in the first round, which should be completed in November.

Of these, will be sent to her backers from Kickstarter, mostly located in the US and the UK, while will go to local customers who have placed their orders via email or messages. So far, Balagamwala says, the project has drawn support from young women in both Pakistan and India, who have written in to share their own experiences with family pressure and arranged marriage. Nevertheless, the designer is convinced that addressing social and political issues through board games works.

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