UK Government Faces Scrutiny Over Handling of Child Forced Marriages, With Dozens of Cases Involving Children Aged 12 or Under
New figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request reveal that at least 100 children aged 12 or younger have been referred to the UK government’s forced marriage unit in the past five years. This includes 27 children aged up to five and 62 aged 10 or below. While not every referral indicates a confirmed forced marriage, these statistics are described as 'deeply disturbing' due to the extreme youth of the children involved. Forced marriage is a criminal offense in the UK, with the legal age raised to 18 in England and Wales in 2023. Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, a campaigner who escaped an attempted forced marriage at 14 and founded the charity Karma Nirvana, expressed concern that some children might disappear from school registers after the summer holidays, either engaged or married. She also warned that the true figures are likely higher, as many cases go unreported to statutory services. The Home Office maintains that forced marriage is not linked to any specific culture, religion, or country, but... 
