Women In Britain

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Shafilea Ahmed was a young Muslim woman, who was born and brought up in Britain. At the age of 17 she visited Pakistan with her family for a holiday. There a marriage proposal was made. In order to avoid the marriage Shafilea drunk bleach and disappeared mysteriously a few months later. Her body was found in a river near Cumbria. No one can tell how Shafilea died. She might be a victim of a crime or might have committed suicide. Police considered that Ð''she might have been a victim of Ð''honour killing', the eventual punishment for an Asian woman who brings shame to her family or community' (Judd 1). The problem with forced marriage is a taboo in many ways. Many Muslim girls who suffer it often do not understand that they are victims of a human rights cruelty and many will not request help. That is why it is quite difficult for the authorities to indicate the scope of the problem (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 2).

Forced marriage is Ð''a marriage in which the bride, groom or both are coerced to marry against their will and under duress that includes both physical and emotional pressure' (Soriano 1). The case of Shafilea Ahmed is just one of the 1,000 cases of forced marriages that happened in Britain or to British citizens abroad each year (Judd 1). Public opinion is divided as to whether a special legislation against forced marriages should be created. Southall Black Sisters, which is a non-profit organization trying to Ð''empower women to gain more control over their lives and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom' (http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/), and the Muslim Council of Britain are against creating a specific law. Firstly, they are afraid the young Muslim girls will not seek help because they do not want to see their parents in trouble (Ð''Forced marriage could be banned' 2). Secondly, the act could be interpreted as an Ð''attack on black or ethnic minority groups' (Ð''Forced marriage could be banned' 2) or as Ð''an attempt to demonize the Muslim community' (James 2). The objectives of the British Government and the International Centre for the legal Protection of Human Rights (INTERIGHTS), by contrast, are that a new specific law will give power to the young Muslim girls to oppose their parents, will make it easier to take actions against perpetrators (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 4) or the legislation could change public opinion, and as a result the perception and practice of forced marriages (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 4). INTERIGHTS is an international human right center, whose main aim is Ð''to promote the protection of human rights and freedoms through the effective use of international and comparative human rights law' (INTERIGHTS 22). Forced marriage is a violation of women's human rights; according to Home Office minister Baroness Scotland. It contradicts to the rights stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 16(2) and in Human Rights Act from 1998 (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 10). These rights respectively are: Ð''marriage should be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses' (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and Ð''everyone has the right to liberty and security of person' (Human Rights Act 1998). Often forced marriages lead to horrible consequences such as honour killings, rape, false imprisonment, and physical or emotional harms. The British Government should create a specific law prohibiting forced marriages in order to save the lives of those who are at risk, despite the fact that this act could be painful for victims.

One of the reasons against creating a special law on forced marriages, given by the Home office report Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' issued on the September 5, 2005, is that there is a potential danger the problem to be driven Ð''further underground' (4). The Forced Marriage Unit, whose main aim is to protect British nationals who are force to marry (Rice-Oxley 2), annually deals with more than 250 cases of forced marriages. Often those who seek help from caseworkers are young Muslim girls. Before accepting any help offered, the victims first want to be sure that their family will no be put on trial (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 5). If the court is involved, usually victims revoke their forced marriage requests, claiming that there is noting wrong with their marriage (Brandon 2).

Another reason against implementing a specific law on forced marriages is that parents may decide to take their daughters back to their homeland, Pakistan or Bangladesh for instance, at early age and to Ð''marry them off' (Ð''Forced marriage Ð''could be banned" 2). Through this act the potential victims are deprived of attending school and consequently there is a greater possibility the victim to undergo marriage, owing to lack of choice. Muslim families might take their daughters overseas at early age (14-15) because of many reasons. One of which could be that the younger girls are less informed of their rights and more susceptible to be forced to marry. The creation of a definite law might accidentally boost the tendency of parents who take their offspring overseas and will have more time to organize a marriage. This will make it more difficult for British authorities to recognize the potential victims of forced marriage (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 4).

Furthermore, a law on forced marriages could be a restriction to the relationship between the victim and her family. In many cases of forced marriages, the victim often seeks to restore the harmony with her parents. It is possible the reconciliation to be restored but often it takes a long period of time. After implementing a law the fear is that it could make the reconciliation harder, if not impossible, because of the persecutions, which are inevitable result (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 6). Criminalisation of forced marriages could also be misunderstood as an attack on Black and Minority Ethnic communities (Ð''Forced marriage Ð''could be banned'' 2). There is a potential risk that the law might be used wrongly against those communities (Ð''Forced marriage- a wrong not a right' 6).

The British Government and INTERIGHTS, on the other hand, have a very strong argumentation that a certain law on forcing someone to marry is needed. First, one of the most important factors that shape public opinion is the law itself. That is why it is considered