If I tell someone, my parents will be told
Absolutely not! Nobody will tell your parents anything that will put you in harms way.
If I ask for help, my parents will go to jail
This isn’t true; there are many ways that you could be supported and protected. This includes counselling and mediation, taking out a protection order or moving you away from home to somewhere safe.
It’s in my religion - I can’t say “no”
NO major religion accepts forced marriage. It’s against the values of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism
I’m shaming my family by not agreeing
It’s your life, your safety. Think about your future, you’re not shaming anybody; the real shame is the person trying to force you to marry.
Nobody understands what my family are like
There are thousands of other young people who face the similar problems at home. Frontline professionals have received a lot of training on working with families from communities where forced marriages take place.
Unless I say yes, I have nowhere to go
There are plenty of places where you could go to stay safe and be around others who know how you feel. You’ll be supported and cared for in whatever decision you make.
If I’m taken abroad, nobody can help me
Forced Marriage Teams of British embassies abroad can rescue you from a forced marriage. Specially trained officers can check on your welfare without arousing suspicion and safely take you out of the situation and arrange for your return to the UK. You can contact the Forced Marriage Unit in the UK on 020 7008 0230 for more information