Lifting lid on forced marriages

MORE forced marriage protection orders have been granted in Oldham than any other borough across Greater Manchester.

The region features in a hard-hitting documentary, “Forced Marriage Cops”, tomorrow at 10pm on Channel 4. Greater Manchester Police opened its doors to documentary makers for almost 18 months until August to lift the lid on “honour” crimes.

A preview of the documentary was screened at GMP headquarters at Central Park yesterday which included a panel of people who have experience and knowledge of forced marriages.

The programme follows the cases of several young women who turned to police, scared they would be forced into marriage with a man from abroad.

Legislation introduced last June made it illegal in the UK to force someone to marry against their will, and the offence carries a seven-year prison sentence. Last year, 250 incidents were reported - but there has yet to be a single prosecution, often because the victims are reluctant to testify against relatives. Figures revealed that in one case there were 11 orders made in a single family.