Forced Marriage Practitioner Guidance - update 2014

Section 5: Contacts and information

'Protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse' United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 19

21. Key contacts

22 Resources and further reading

21. Key contacts

This section gives details of national support agencies and other useful contacts for agencies which have a particular expertise relevant to forced marriage. This is not an exhaustive list but the agencies below should also be able to provide signposting to other agencies and to local services.

Government departments

• Forced Marriage Unit

Joint Foreign & Commonwealth Office/Home Office service
www.fco.gov.uk/forcedmarriage

Helpline: 020 7008 0151 (Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm)
Email: fmu@fco.gov.uk
For emergencies out of hours, phone 020 7008 1500 and ask for the Global Response Centre

• Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Represents the UK Government overseas
www.fco.gov.uk

• British High Commissions and Embassies

For details of all British High Commissions and Embassies see online at www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy

• Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

Responsible for regulating immigration advisers
oisc.homeoffice.gov.uk

• UK Visas and Immigration

Enforces immigration and customs regulations and considers applications for permission to enter or stay in the UK, and for citizenship and asylum
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration

Help for victims

• Shakti Women's Aid

Support, advocacy, refuge and information to all black minority ethnic women, children and young people experiencing and/or fleeing domestic abuse. Shakti is a member group of Scottish Women's Aid (see below)
www.shaktiedinburgh.co.uk
Helpline: 0131 475 2399

• Hemat Gryffe Women's Aid

Support, advocacy, refuge and information for black minority ethnic women, children and young people experiencing and/or fleeing domestic abuse. Hemat Gryffe is a member group of Scottish Women's Aid (see below)
www.hematgryffe.org.uk
Helpline: 0141 353 0859

• Scottish Women's Aid

National organisation responding to domestic abuse with a network of local member groups providing direct services to women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. This includes advocacy, support, information and refuge accommodation.
www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk
Business line: 0131 226 6606

• Scottish Domestic Abuse helpline

For anyone who has experienced domestic abuse (signposting for male victims)
0800 027 1234 (24 hours)

• Amina Muslim Women's Resource Centre

Muslim women's resource centre which works with Muslim women
www.mwrc.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 801 0301

• roshni

Promotes the safety, wellbeing and rights of minority ethnic communities and provides direct support services to male and female victims of abuse
www.roshni.org.uk
Freephone helpline: 0808 802 2222

• Saheliya

Supports the mental health and well-being of black and minority ethnic women in Edinburgh
www.saheliya.org.uk
Tel: 0131 556 9302

• Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline

For anyone, male or female who has experienced sexual violence
www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
08088 01 03 02 (daily 6pm to midnight)

Children-specific

• Child Line

Counselling service for children and young people
www.childline.org.uk
Helpline: 0800 1111 (24 hours)

• Scottish Child Law Centre

Free legal advice for and about children
www.sclc.org.uk
Helpline for under 18s: 0800 328 8970
Advice line: 0131 667 6333

Men-specific

• Pathway

Edinburgh-based services at Health in Mind for black and minority ethnic men who are experiencing any issue that may affect their mental health and wellbeing
www.health-in-mind.org.uk/services/trauma-services.html

• Men's Advice Line

Confidential helpline for all men experiencing domestic violence (including forced marriage)
www.mensadviceline.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 801 0327

See also: www.respect.uk.net/pages/male-victims-of-forced-marriage.html

Other support

• LGBT Domestic Abuse Project

Scotland's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender domestic abuse project
www.lgbtdomesticabuse.org.uk

• Broken Rainbow

Confidential support to all members of the LGBT communities, their family, friends, and agencies supporting them
www.brokenrainbow.org.uk
Helpline: 0800 999 5428

See also www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/foced-marriage-lgbt

• Samaritans

Confidential emotional support service
www.samaritans.org/
Helpline: 08457 90 90 90 (24 hours)

If abroad see www.befrienders.org/ for nearest helpline

• Scottish Refugee Council

Helps refugees and people seeking asylum in Scotland
www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
Tel: 0141 248 9799

• Victim Support Scotland

Provides emotional support, practical help and essential information to victims, witnesses and others affected by crime
www.victimsupportsco.org.uk
Helpline: 0845 603 9213

• Voice UK

Supports people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable people who have experienced crime or abuse
www.voiceuk.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 802 8686

• The Ishara project

Part of Deaf Connections delivering specialist services to adult deaf people across Scotland
www.deafconnections.co.uk/Ishara/information-about-forced-marriage.html

Law and rights

• Citizen's Advice Scotland

www.cas.org.uk

• Ethnic Minorities Law Centre

Provides legal services exclusively to black and ethnic minority communities
www.emlc.org.uk

• Legal Services Agency (LSA)

Provides legal assistance to women and girls including refugees and migrant women. LSA provides a free telephone advice line and a free drop in on certain days (check website for details)
www.lsa.org.uk/
Freephone line: 0800 316 8450

• Family Law Association

Provides a point of reference for the public and for other organisations on family law issues
www.familylawassociation.org/

• Law Society of Scotland

Professional governing body for Scottish solicitors
www.lawscot.org.uk/

• Scottish Courts

Single access point for information relating to civil and criminal courts within Scotland
www.scotcourts.gov.uk/

• Scottish Legal Aid Board

Responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland
www.slab.org.uk/
Main switchboard: 0131 226 7061

Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
National body focusing on children at risk

www.scra.gov.uk

• Shelterline

Free, national telephone advice line staffed by trained housing advisers
scotland.shelter.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 800 4444

Telephone interpreting

• Language Line

Telephone interpreting for emergency and non-emergency needs
www.languageline.co.uk/

22. Resources and further reading

The following section provides links to websites which include useful resources and background information and a list of relevant books and films.

Forced Marriage Unit
UK-based
Animated documentaries: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/when-things-go-wrong/forced-marriage/forced-marriage-animations
Case studies of good practice: www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/when-things-go-wrong/forced-marriage/case-studies/

Karma Nirvana
www.karmanirvana.org.uk
England-based. Supports victims and survivors of forced marriage and honour based abuse

Forward
www.forwarduk.org.uk/resources/resources#id7
England-based. Works with individuals, communities and organisations to transform harmful practices and improve the quality of life of vulnerable girls and women

Rights of Women
www.rightsofwomen.org.uk
England-based. Produces variety of publications on women and immigration

Southall Black Sisters
www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/
England-based not-for-profit organisation, which aims to meet the needs of black (Asian and African-Caribbean) women

Ashiana
www.ashiana.org.uk/
England-based. Support for South Asian, Turkish and Iranian women

Newham Asian Women's Project
www.nawp.org/
England-based. Support for South Asian women and their children fleeing domestic violence

Henna Foundation
www.hennafoundation.org/
Wales-based. Works nationally and internationally to advance the needs, concerns and aspirations of Muslim women, children and the families that they live within

Ann Craft Trust
www.anncrafttrust.org/index.php
England-based. Works to ensure that organisations which support disabled children and vulnerable adults are aware of abuse and protection issues. See also Forced Marriage and Learning Disabilities: www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2010/DEP2010-2162.pdf

Deaf Connections (Ishara project)
www.deafconnections.co.uk/Table/Ishara/
Information on forced marriage in sign language online

Domestic abuse resources and training for schools in Scotland
www.dartsscotland.org

Violence against women national training resources
www.womenssupportproject.co.uk/vawtraining

Books

Fiction

Arranged Marriage by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama
(Un)arranged Marriage by Bali Rai

Memoir

Daughters of Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera
Sold by Zana Muhsen
Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera
Unbroken Spirit by Ferzanna Riley
Without Mercy by Miriam Ali

Non-fiction

Marital Discord: Recapturing the full Islamic spirit of Human Dignity by Abusulayman Abdul Hamid
Pathways to Justice by Rights of Women
The Muslim Marriage Guide by Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood
What Islam Really Says About Domestic Abuse by Shaykh Amer Jamil

Al Jazeera
english.aljazeera.net
Various online clips and films including Al Jazeera's 'Everywoman' series, which features international documentaries and correspondence on issues of forced marriage and violence against women. These include 'Eat Sugar and Speak Sweetly' which is about forced marriage in Europe

Killing in the Name of Honour
www.cultureunplugged.com/play/5114/Killing-in-the-Name-of-Honour--Turkey----Women-on-the-Frontline
Documentary about 'honour killing' in Turkey

Tying the Knot
Faction Films: www.factionfilms.co.uk
12-minute video for young people (12-18) featuring young people's views on marriage. The video distinguishes between arranged and forced marriages. There is also an accompanying pack with background information and discussion points

Love Snatched
Faction Films
This video tells the stories of several young peoples' fight for freedom. Lawyers and activists define forced marriage as a violation of human rights. Discusses some of the help available

Narina's Story
Faction Films

Narina describes her remarkable escape from the threat of a forced marriage, along with her two sisters

Other

Other films containing some of the issues connected to forced marriage include East is East (15), Monsoon Wedding (15), Bride and Prejudice (12A), Ae Fond Kiss (15) (which is set in Scotland) Brick Lane (15), Provoked (15), Khuda Ke Liye (In the Name of God) (15), Bend it Like Beckham (12), Bol (15)