Written testimony provided by Tahirih Justice Center in support of Texas HB 168, for the bill’s hearing on April 7, 2025 in the Texas House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, Subcommittee on Family & Fiduciary Relationships.

A recording of the verbal testimony delivered by Houston Policy & Advocacy Manager Katharina Dechert is also available online here, beginning at 18:15.

With funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, Tahirih presents a webinar series on forced marriage in the United States. This is a recording from Part 1 of that series.

This webinar provides participates with foundational knowledge of forced marriage as a form of gender-based violence and the abusive tactics often utilized to force an individual to comply with marriage demands.

Financiado por la Oficina de Violencia Contra las Mujeres, Tahirih presenta una serie de webinarios sobre el matrimonio forzado en los Estados Unidos. Este video es parte 1 de esa serie, con interpretaction en Espanol.

El webinario comunica la informacion fundamental del matrimonio forzado como tipo de dano basado en el genero, y las tacticas abusivas utilizadas para forzar individuales a cumplir con un matrimonio que no quiere.

This webinar provides an in-depth perspective on challenges that survivors of forced marriage experience. Participants will be able to describe forced and child marriage and its intersections with other forms of abuse, articulate the health impacts of forced and child marriage, and demonstrate an understanding of best practices when it comes to screening and response to survivors and individuals at risk to reduce and prevent future harm in a healthcare setting. Dr. Batool completed a qualitative investigation intended to assess how forced marriages influence women’s physical and psychological well-being. This research provides deep insight on survivor’s experience and overall well-being.

The webinar was funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), grant number 90ZV0142 and produced by the Tahirih Justice Center. The contents of this webinar are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of HHS.

For more, see our Tip Sheet for Healthcare Providers

Author: Forced Marriage Initiative

Publication: April 2024

This tip sheet provides an overview of forced marriage in the healthcare setting and provides guidance for healthcare providers who may encounter individuals facing a forced marriage. It includes dispelling common myths, an overview of the health impacts, common red flags, and tips on how to screen for and respond to suspected forced marriage cases.

For more information, please click on: Tips for Healthcare Providers