Schools in Australia being asked to help identify and stop forced marriage
The latest figures on forced marriages from the Australian Federal Police-led (AFP) Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) show a 30% increase in reporting. And the AFP say school communities can play a vital role in helping identify and protect vulnerable children and stopping forced child marriages.
“it could be happening in your neighborhood”
Forced marriage involves coercion, threats, and/or deceit. It also happens when a person cannot truly consent because they are too young or do not have the mental capacity to understand what marriage means. It’s a crime many people assume doesn’t happen in their country. AFP commander Helen Schneider said that’s certainly what most in Australia think.
Contrariwise, Schneider stated in a recent SBS article:
…it can, and it does — it could be happening in your neighborhood and your street. And, with potential victims often being school-aged, this makes school communities — from educators and parents through to fellow students — a key partner in awareness.
Indeed, the latest data on force marriages in Australia reveal reports of the crime jumped from 91 in 2023-24 to 118 in 2024-25. And while the figures don’t necessarily mean instances are up, it does mean more should be done to stop it. Schneider pointed out that forced child marriage is an especially complex issue. Particularly because in many cases both victims and perpetrators are in the same family. That can make young people fearful or reluctant to seek help.