Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Experts slam government as forced marriage victims made to pay rescue fee

by LAUREN CODLING

A CRIMINOLOGY expert has slammed the UK government for its “morally reprehensible” action of charging overseas victims of forced marriage fees to be safely repatriated back to Britain, as a leading campaigner warned it could deter others from coming forward to seek help.


An investigation by The Times newspaper on Wednesday (2) found young women who had been sent abroad by their families for forced marriages were subsequently charged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for the cost of rescuing them.

Victims who came forward claimed they had been charged up to £740. According to the report, the FCO loaned £7,765 to at least eight victims in the past two years.

Those who are over 18 and unable to pay the fees are made to sign emergency loan agreements before they can board a flight back to the UK.

Victims who have availed of the FCO loans and who are unable to repay the fees within six months are charged 10 per cent interest which is added to their bill. Passports are also confiscated until the FCO loans are repaid.

Women affected by the fees said they have been left with little money, with some having to claim benefits or use university loans to fund repayments.

According to the newspaper, two survivors are living in refuges and two have become addicted to drugs since returning to the UK.

Professor Aisha Gill, a professor of criminology at the University of Roehampton, condemned the FCO for their response involving British victims abroad.

She told Eastern Eye that asking survivors to pay up in order for them to be brought back to the UK is “morally reprehensible”.

“We can’t put a price tag on this, because we are putting these individuals in a very dangerous and life threatening situation,” Professor Gill said. “They shouldn’t be punished

when seeking protection from the foreign office.”

The professor, who was an expert witness for the prosecution in the UK’s first successful prosecution for forced marriage last year, said the fee could deter other victims from speaking out.

“[The fees] may have an impact on people coming forward because of the possibility of further harm and the likelihood of being subjected to financial destitution,” she said.

Aneeta Prem, the founder of Freedom charity, shared Professor Gill’s sentiments. Although

survivors are told they do not need to worry about the money until they are back in the UK, Prem acknowledged the risk of it deterring more victims from coming forward.

“If it would deter one person from signing the agreement then that is one person too many,” she said. “They are British citizens, after all.”

Prem, who had previously flagged up the high costs while participating in a BBC Panorama

programme some years ago, revealed young victims had approached Freedom for assistance.

“Some young women have reached out to us,” she said. “These include some of the girls

who have been rescued and told they must pay.”

Other campaigners and politicians have also expressed their outrage at the policies.

Yvette Cooper, Labour MP and chair of powerful Home Affairs Select Committee, said she was “appalled” by the costs, while Karma Nirvana founder Jasvinder Sanghera added it was “shocking” that any victim of crime had to pay to be protected.

Addressing the issue on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had asked officials to give him “proper advice on the whole issue”.

“I have always stressed to embassies and posts abroad that they need to use discretion,” he said.

“Of course, we should behave with compassion and humanity in every situation, but I want to get to the bottom of this particular issue.”

Home secretary Sajid Javid, who vowed last August to “do more” for victims of forced marriage, said the government were doing “an incredible amount to combat forced marriage”.

“With this news it’s something again for us to focus on and make sure we’re doing everything we can,” he said.

A spokesperson from charity Halo Project said the government needs to provide the funds to bring back victims who had no choice, adding “there should be no cost or fear of financial hardship over safety”.

Now that the investigation has gone public, both Professor Gill and Prem said they hoped the charges would be dropped, or an alternative method adopted.

Professor Gill said she hoped the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) will work closely with the FCO to ensure there is a “consistent, robust response” to the issue.

“In order to bring an end to forced marriage, I hope [Jeremy Hunt’s] officials will ditch charging victims as ultimately putting a price on safety erodes the good work being done in the UK on forced marriage,” she said.

Since 2014, forced marriage has been a crime in Britain carrying a maximum seven-year prison sentence.

In 2017, the FMU gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1,196 cases, with 256 (21 per cent) concerning men.

In 2017, 37 per cent of the cases were related to Pakistan, 11 per cent to Bangladesh, eight per cent to Somalia and seven per cent to India.

In response to The Times investigation, an FCO spokesperson said: “Given these are from public funds, we have an obligation to recover the money.

“The [government’s] forced marriage unit provides funding for safe houses and non-governmental organisations to ensure victims of forced marriage can get to a place of

safety as soon as possible. We do not charge British nationals for this service and work with organisations to support them on return.”

More For You

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave by mid-July

Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C

iStock

Met Office warns of potential third UK heatwave by mid-July

Key points

  • Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
  • Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
  • High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
  • Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria

Possible heatwave to return by mid-July

The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.

June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.

Keep ReadingShow less
crypto

Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Two jailed over £1.5m crypto investment scam

TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE is now investigating more than 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects, following years of public criticism and institutional failings in tackling child sexual exploitation.

A new report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has revealed the force has made “significant improvements” in dealing with group-based sexual abuse and related crimes.

Keep ReadingShow less