Victims of forced marriage offered anonymity

Amendments to the policing and crime bill mean that victims of forced marriage will be offered anonymity from the moment an allegation is made, a move designed to give more victims the confidence to come forward and make a report.

The proposed legislation change will mean that revealing the victim’s name, or information and images that could lead to the identification of the victim, will be against the law. It will apply to print, broadcast and social media.

Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has the welcomed changes to the law. He said: “Forced marriage is the brutal abuse of a person’s basic human rights – to choose who to love. That such an archaic practice still exists today is simply abhorrent.

“It takes immense courage to report this crime, with many fearing shame and alienation from the support networks they may have previously relied on. We must do all we can to give victims the confidence to report it, and offering anonymity is an important step forward.”

If you have been affected by forced marriage, find help at:

www.gmvictims.org.uk/fm