Law Society welcomes new forced marriage laws

The Law Society of Scotland has said that new legislation which came into effect at the end of November sets out that forced marriage is unacceptable and will strengthen the position for those who refuse to marry without giving their consent.

John Fotheringham, vice convener of the Law Society of Scotland's family law committee, has said that the Forced Marriage (Protection and Jurisdiction etc) (Scotland) Act 2011 will help lead a culture change but must be accompanied by education to ensure that the problem of forced marriage is reduced in the long term.

Fotheringham said:

"We are very pleased this legislation has been enacted as although the incidence of forced marriage in Scotland is low, the impact of each individual case can be devastating.

"It is an important piece of legislation which will have the capacity to address the issue but we are clear the law alone will not be sufficient to reduce instances of forced marriage. A proactive approach of educating potential perpetrators, potential victims and also those who may be in a position to spot the danger signs on behalf of that victim, will be crucial in efforts to prevent it. Proper resources need to be available to educate children from an early age that forced marriage is wrong and that in addition to legal remedies, support is available for victims and potential victims.”