Lynne's Parliament and Haringey Diary, established 2003
Forced marriage
That’s the topic of my latest newspaper column (Asian Voice on this occasion):
Hanging together in the face of adversity – and often in the face of having a community flung into different parts scattered around the world – is an admirable trait. But it can lead to some customs, traditions and religious practices that cross a line of what can be accepted in a civilised society – and so where the state does have (in my view) a duty to intervene and prohibit.
You can read it in full on my website.
Comments
Published and promoted by and on behalf of Liberal Democrats, 62 High Street, Hornsey, N8 7NX.
Site produced by Puffbox in association with Harrisment.
This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.
Good article. However, I do not accept the argument that this is a religious issue, that is completely absurd. The use of force marriages in Asian communities is widely disregarded as unacceptable and it is not encouraged either. However, there will be a ‘few’ people attempting to coerce their daughter or son to enter a forced marriage to ensure the daughter or son marries someone in his or her own community.
Furthermore, Asian marriages have been far more successful globally than Western marriages between non-Asian communities. As cultural tradition is very very very important to us.