Pressure to marry
A person may face an engagement arranged against their wishes, threats if they refuse or pressure to marry a person they have not chosen.
LGBTQ+ Forced Marriage: Help and Rights
Freedom Charity · Forced marriage and LGBTQ+ people
Freedom to love. Freedom to choose.
Nobody should be forced into marriage because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Forced marriage can affect anyone. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and other LGBTQ+ people may face family pressure, threats or abuse linked to whom they love or their identity. Your safety and your right to make your own choices matter.
Are you worried about your safety?
If you are in immediate danger in the UK, call 999. You can also contact the government’s Forced Marriage Unit on 020 7008 0151 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm) or email [email protected]. Outside those hours, the UK government lists 020 7008 5000. Check its official guidance for current arrangements.
Freedom’s help informationForced Marriage Unit ↗Recognising forced marriage.
In an arranged marriage, both people remain free to agree or refuse. In a forced marriage, a person is made to marry without freely choosing to do so. Pressure may be physical, emotional or psychological. Someone may be threatened, isolated, assaulted, told they are bringing shame on their family or taken abroad against their wishes.
Family or community expectations do not justify coercion. You do not have to experience physical violence for a marriage to be forced, and you do not have to wait until a wedding takes place to ask for help.
Abuse linked to identity
Relatives may respond to someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity with threats, punishment or pressure to enter a marriage. A person’s identity is never a justification for abuse.
Being taken abroad
Someone may be told they are travelling for a holiday or family event but later face pressure to marry. If you are worried about travel plans, seek specialist advice before leaving.
Barriers to seeking help
A person may fear being outed, losing their home or support, or being disbelieved. Professionals should listen without judgement and consider the risks of contacting family members.
How to seek help safely.
You can contact a specialist service even if you are unsure whether your situation is forced marriage. If your family can access your phone, messages or browsing history, consider using a safer device and ask the service how it can contact you without increasing your risk.
Do not assume that mediation or contacting relatives will be safe. If you are a friend or professional, listen to the person’s wishes, avoid making promises you cannot keep and seek appropriate safeguarding advice. Do not disclose someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity without a lawful and necessary reason.
Different legal and support arrangements apply outside the UK. If you are abroad, the international help and languages guide explains how to find appropriate local support.
What does the law say?
Forced marriage is a criminal offence in England and Wales. Forced Marriage Protection Orders can provide tailored civil protection. Specific rules also apply to marriage involving children and people who lack capacity. The legal position differs between UK jurisdictions and internationally.
Read Freedom’s forced marriage and protection information or consult UK government guidance ↗.
For professionals and people supporting someone.
Take the person’s concerns seriously. Ask about immediate safety, any planned travel and the safest way to communicate. Follow your safeguarding procedures, seek specialist advice and avoid contacting family members as a first response. Forced marriage is sometimes described elsewhere as honour-based abuse or honour-based violence; Freedom uses the term Dishonour Abuse because abuse has no honour.
Professional safeguarding resourcesFind a route to helpInformation reviewed: 25 September 2026. This page provides general safeguarding information, not a substitute for emergency assistance or individual legal advice. Personal case studies will only be added after appropriate consent and safeguarding review.