forced marriages in Birmingham have rocketed by almost 400 per cent in the last year, the report compiled by the Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Sharon Rowe, for Birmingham Community Safety Partnership has revealed.
West Midlands Police said 131 victims were identified in 2012-13, compared to just 34 in the previous year.
Investigations have shown that none of the victims had been classed as ‘at risk’ by authorities, with no warning markers present.
And the figures could have been worse, but for the intervention of police and council.
The reports says a total of 17 forced marriage protection orders had been issued by Birmingham courts since April 2010 – including for FIVE children and four vulnerable adults.
Half of all the marriages in Birmingham now occur on just six wards; Bordesley Green (19), Springfield (17), Washwood Heath (10), Sparkbrook (8), Nechells (7) and Lozells and East Handsworth (5).
**Female mutilation in Birmingham ‘still a hidden crime’**
** Forced marriages in Birmingham have rocketed by almost 400 per cent in the last year, the report has revealed.**
Yet the report states the use of the protection orders, in place since 2007, have enabled a range of third parties to take civil action to protect the potential victim.
**Female mutilation in Birmingham ‘still a hidden crime’**
** Forced marriages in Birmingham have rocketed by almost 400 per cent in the last year, the report has revealed.**
Yet the report states the use of the protection orders, in place since 2007, have enabled a range of third parties to take civil action to protect the potential victim.
It said: “Since April 2010, 17 orders have been issued by Birmingham courts through the intervention of West Midlands Police or Birmingham City Council (BCC).
“Of those taken by BCC, five related to children and four to vulnerable adults. Three orders have been applied for in 2012-13 so far, suggesting an increasing trend in applications.”
Forced marriage is now most common in the UK amongst ethnic minority communities, particularly Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.
Yet the practice is being carried out in families from the Middle and Far East, Africa, South America and Eastern Europe, as well as among some travelling communities.
The report says honour-based violence crimes have fallen from a peak of 80 in 2010-11 to 46 in 2012-13.
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