Forced Marriage Unit Statistics

LGBT Forced Marriage

Boys and Men Forced into Marriage

Child Marriage Law UK

Girls Still Missed

Forced Marriage Consent and Capacity

Forced Marriage Figures 2025

Forced Marriage and FGM Warning Signs for Schools

Crewe Forced Marriage Investigation

The Crewe forced marriage investigation matters because it shows why safeguarding professionals must name forced marriage as abuse, not honour, culture or faith. Cheshire Police say they arrested nine people after reports of serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery involving members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Crewe. The allegations remain under police investigation, so readers must not treat them as proven facts. However, one safeguarding message is already clear: no one should disguise coercion as custom.

What happened in the Crewe forced marriage investigation?

Cheshire Police say officers began investigating after they received allegations in March 2026. According to the force, the alleged offences took place in 2023 and involved one woman who belonged to the group at the time.

On 29 April 2026, officers carried out three warrants in Crewe. The searches took place at Webb House and residential properties on Nantwich Road and Badger Avenue. More than 500 officers from Cheshire Police and neighbouring forces took part in the operation.

Police say they arrested six men and three women on suspicion of offences including rape, sexual assault, human trafficking, modern slavery and forced marriage. Officers also arrested a further 13 people on suspicion of public order offences, which police say do not relate to the main investigation.

Crucially, Cheshire Police have stressed that they are not investigating a religion. They are investigating serious criminal allegations. That distinction matters because safeguarding must protect people at risk without fuelling prejudice.

At the same time, professionals must not become so afraid of causing offence that they fail to name abuse. Forced marriage, sexual abuse, trafficking and modern slavery are not cultural sensitivities. They are safeguarding and criminal justice issues.

Why forced marriage must be named as abuse

GOV.UK forced marriage guidance defines forced marriage as a marriage where one or both people do not, or cannot, consent and pressure or abuse forces the marriage. The same guidance says that causing a child to marry before the age of 18 counts as forced marriage, even when no pressure or abuse takes place.

Forced marriage is illegal across the UK, although the precise legislation differs between jurisdictions. GOV.UK describes it as domestic abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.

Therefore, professionals must not treat forced marriage as a private family matter, soften it as tradition or excuse it as culture. Forced marriage removes choice, consent and freedom.

Freedom Charity uses the term dishonour abuse because the word “honour” should never protect perpetrators. There is no honour in coercion, control or forcing a person into marriage.

Freedom Charity’s position: Shame must never be placed on someone subjected to violence, coercion or control. Forced marriage is abuse, and protecting the person at risk must come before concerns about family or community reputation.

This is not about faith. It is about coercion.

Cases involving religion, family or closed communities need careful language. However, careful language does not mean weak language. It means accurate language.

The Crown Prosecution Service guidance recognises that abuse linked to so-called “honour” can involve violence, threats, intimidation, coercion and psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse. Prosecutors must also consider the full context, including any wider pattern of abuse.

In practice, professionals need to ask direct questions about control. They should consider who holds the person’s phone, passport, money or documents; who decides where they go; who speaks for them; and who benefits if they stay silent.

Because coercion often hides in ordinary language, words such as shame, duty, obedience, family honour, spiritual punishment or community disgrace may signal risk. Silence can also matter. Sometimes a person says nothing because fear has already done its work.

Why the law matters

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 made it a criminal offence in England, Wales and Scotland to force someone to marry. Northern Ireland has separate legislation. GOV.UK says the offence can include taking someone overseas to force them to marry, doing anything intended to cause a child to marry before their eighteenth birthday, or causing someone who lacks mental capacity to marry.

A Forced Marriage Protection Order can also protect someone at risk. Courts can use these orders to prevent travel, restrict contact, protect documents and stop further pressure. In addition, anyone who breaches an order can face criminal consequences.

However, safeguarding must not wait for a criminal conviction. Courts decide guilt. Safeguarding professionals act on risk.

What professionals should learn from Crewe

The Crewe forced marriage investigation must now follow the evidence. No suspect should face public judgment before a court has tested the facts, and no community should carry blame for allegations against individuals.

Even so, this case shows why professionals need sharper judgement. Forced marriage may sit beside sexual abuse, trafficking, modern slavery, immigration control, spiritual control, isolation or financial dependence.

In February 2026, the CPS strengthened its guidance to include spiritual abuse and immigration abuse for the first time. The update also highlighted dowry abuse, immigration-related exploitation, transnational marriage abandonment and spiritual or ritualistic abuse as harmful practices that prosecutors may need to consider.

For that reason, schools, police, health workers, social workers and community organisations must look beyond the surface. A person at risk may not say, “I face forced marriage.” Instead, they may say, “I have no choice,” “My family will never forgive me,” or nothing at all.

Safeguarding professionals should not take silence as reassurance. Sometimes silence is the evidence that control has worked.

Freedom Charity’s message

Freedom Charity supports people affected by forced marriage, dishonour abuse, FGM and related harmful practices. The charity provides support, education, professional training, a specialist helpline and a safeguarding app designed to place help within reach quickly.

The message must stay clear: forced marriage is not honour, culture or consent. It is abuse.

In an emergency, call 999.

Anyone with information that may help the Crewe investigation should contact Cheshire Police through the police public portal or call 101.

For concerns about forced marriage, dishonour abuse or FGM, contact Freedom Charity for confidential support and safeguarding advice. The Government’s Forced Marriage Unit can also provide specialist advice.

Related Freedom Charity guidance

Forced Marriage
Forced Marriage Protection Order Guide
FGM and forced marriage protection orders
Forced marriage training: new data exposes a safeguarding gap
What the New CPS Guidance on Honour-Based Abuse Means
What Is Immigration-Related Abuse?
What Is Spiritual or Ritual Abuse?
What Is Transnational Marriage Abandonment?
Freedom Charity Helpline
Freedom Charity App

Sources and further reading

Original police statements take precedence over early media coverage. This is an ongoing investigation and allegations have not been proven in court.

• Cheshire Police — further Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order (3 August 2026). Latest cited statement, confirming 14 arrests and interim protective measures.
• Cheshire Police — initial arrests and investigation (29 April 2026, subsequently updated).
• Cheshire Police — further suspects arrested (21 July 2026).
• UK Government — forced marriage law and help.
• Crown Prosecution Service — prosecution guidance on forced marriage and harmful practices.
• Freedom Charity — cases, prosecutions and protection orders.

By Aneeta Prem MBE, Founder of Freedom Charity
London, 30 April 2026

Bedford Forced Marriage Case

Why forced marriage demands a safeguarding response

The Bedford forced marriage case involving Mohammed Al-Amin shows why no one should excuse forced marriage as tradition, culture or family expectation.

At Luton Crown Court, Al-Amin, 24, of Saxon Way in Great Denham, received a prison sentence of three years and seven months. Reports say he forced a teenage girl into marriage and committed sexual offences against her. He faced one count of forced marriage and two counts of sexual activity with a child. The court also gave him a five-year restraining order, and he will remain on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years.

According to reports based on Bedfordshire Police information, Al-Amin coerced the victim into an Islamic marriage over Zoom while she was under 18. The ceremony took place in a language she did not understand. Police information also described controlling behaviour, including pressure over how she dressed and behaved to avoid bringing “shame” on him and his family.

This case carries a clear warning. A ceremony does not create consent. Silence does not prove agreement. Fear is not choice.

What a child may tell us

Freedom Charity’s safeguarding position is that a child should not have to describe abuse in legal language before adults respond. They may talk about fear, threats, surveillance, pressure or being unable to refuse. Those disclosures require a safe safeguarding response, not a confrontation with the people they fear.

What the Bedford forced marriage case reveals

This case did not only involve a marriage ceremony.

The reported facts show a wider pattern. A child faced pressure. A ceremony took place over Zoom. A language barrier reduced her understanding. Shame became a tool of control. Sexual abuse formed part of the offending. After the relationship ended, threats and abusive messages continued.

That pattern matters.

Forced marriage can sit beside sexual abuse, domestic abuse, emotional pressure, family control, harassment, isolation and online intimidation. It can also form part of dishonour-based abuse.

Many children cannot explain the full danger at once. Some withdraw from school or friends. Others become anxious about family reaction. A child may seem controlled by an older person, talk about shame, or say they cannot refuse.

Professionals must take those signs seriously.

Forced marriage is not consent

Forced marriage breaks UK law. GOV.UK defines forced marriage as a situation where one or both people do not or cannot consent, and someone uses pressure or abuse. GOV.UK also describes forced marriage as domestic abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.

Pressure can include physical abuse, sexual violence, emotional abuse, psychological pressure, financial abuse and shame. In many cases, the person at risk feels trapped before any ceremony happens.

For that reason, the key question is not whether a ceremony took place. The key question is whether the person had freedom, safety, understanding and genuine choice.

The law protects children from marriage before 18

The law now gives children stronger protection.

Since 27 February 2023, 16- and 17-year-olds cannot marry or enter a civil partnership in England and Wales, even with parental consent. GOV.UK says the change made it illegal to arrange for children to marry under any circumstances, whether or not anyone uses force.

This matters because children may appear to comply when fear, grooming, dependence or control shapes their choices. A child may say yes because saying no feels impossible.

Compliance under pressure is not consent.

Forced marriage is not faith

Reports described the ceremony in this case as an Islamic marriage over Zoom. That detail needs care.

Freedom Charity challenges forced marriage without demonising any faith or community. Religion does not cause the abuse. Coercion causes the abuse.

Detective Constable Hollie Fraser, who investigated the case, said forcing someone into marriage without consent is “abuse and control, not tradition.”

Every school, police station, safeguarding team and community setting should hear that sentence.

Forced marriage remains hidden

In 2024, the Forced Marriage Unit received 812 contacts relating to possible forced marriage and/or possible female genital mutilation. Those contacts included 229 forced marriage advice and support cases, 11 FGM advice and support cases, and 572 forced marriage enquiries.

The same official data recorded 83 cases involving victims aged 17 or under. It also showed that British nationals, including dual nationals, made up 74% of victims in advice and support cases.

These figures do not show the full scale of abuse. Fear, family pressure, shame and silence often hide forced marriage.

That is why prevention must start early.

Why schools and professionals must act earlier

Freedom Charity provides safeguarding resources on forced marriage, female genital mutilation and dishonour-based abuse. Its PSHE educational resources help schools teach these issues safely and clearly.

Freedom Charity’s book But It’s Not Fair helps children and professionals understand forced marriage and dishonour-based abuse in an age-appropriate way.

Education gives children language before a crisis. It helps them understand that marriage must involve choice. It also teaches them that pressure, threats and shame are warning signs.

Professionals need confidence too. In forced marriage cases, the wrong response can increase danger. No one should confront the family or alleged perpetrator without specialist safeguarding advice.

Freedom Charity’s position

The Bedford forced marriage case should not be dismissed as rare, distant or exceptional.

Forced marriage happens in the UK. It can involve children. It can happen online. Sexual abuse, threats and coercive control may also appear in the same pattern. Risk can continue after a relationship ends.

Freedom Charity believes prevention must start before crisis. The law matters, but law alone cannot protect a child who does not know that adults will listen.

Children need education. Schools need resources. Professionals need training. Communities need clear language.

Forced marriage is abuse and control. No one should soften it into culture, faith or family expectation.

If someone faces immediate danger, call 999.

If you worry about forced marriage, FGM or dishonour-based abuse, seek specialist safeguarding advice. Do not confront the family or alleged perpetrator yourself.

You can contact Freedom Charity for information about our work, resources and safeguarding education. You can also donate to Freedom Charity to support prevention work with children, schools and communities.

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FAQ

What is the Bedford forced marriage case?

The Bedford forced marriage case concerns Mohammed Al-Amin. Reports say he received a prison sentence at Luton Crown Court after forcing a teenage girl into marriage and committing sexual offences against her.

Is forced marriage illegal in the UK?

Yes. UK law makes forced marriage illegal. GOV.UK describes forced marriage as domestic abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.

Can 16- and 17-year-olds marry in England and Wales?

No. Since 27 February 2023, 16- and 17-year-olds cannot marry or enter a civil partnership in England and Wales, even with parental consent.

Is forced marriage the same as arranged marriage?

No. In an arranged marriage, both people have a choice. In a forced marriage, one or both people do not or cannot consent, and someone uses pressure or abuse.

Why is forced marriage a safeguarding issue?

Forced marriage can involve coercion, fear, threats, sexual abuse, emotional pressure, isolation, shame and family control. When a child faces this risk, professionals must treat it as a child protection concern.

What should someone do if they face forced marriage?

If someone faces immediate danger, call 999. For concerns about forced marriage, FGM or dishonour-based abuse, seek specialist safeguarding advice. Do not confront the family or alleged perpetrator, as this may increase risk.

Sources and court record

This account is based on Bedfordshire Police’s published statement and independent contemporary reporting. The legal guidance is for England and Wales.

• Bedfordshire Police — Bedford man jailed for forcing a teenage girl into marriage (24 April 2026). Original police statement confirming the offences and sentence.
• Bedford Independent — Bedford man jailed for forcing teenage girl into marriage (24 April 2026).
• UK Government — Forced marriage guidance. Information about the law, protection orders and specialist help.
• Crown Prosecution Service — Forced marriage and harmful practices guidance (revised February 2026).

By Aneeta Prem MBE, Founder of Freedom Charity
Published: 26 April 2026