This webinar features Lisa V. Martin, Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina’s School of Law. Professor Martin is the author of Restraining Forced Marriage, the first report to undertake a detailed evaluation of the viability of civil protection orders to address forced marriage in the United States.

Although protection orders show promise as a tool to prevent forced marriage in many states, the nuances of current legal standards defining what kinds of abuse – and by whom – are covered severely limits the practical utility of most civil protection orders for those without expert representation. To enhance the accessibility of protection orders in a forced marriage context, Martin recommends that states create a new forced marriage protection order to address the specific needs of those facing this problem.

Author: Forced Marriage Initiative

Publication: July, 2018

This brochure, now available in Arabic, provides an overview of forced marriage in the United States, basic safety tips for survivors, and the services offered by the Forced Marriage Initiative at Tahirih Justice Center.

Authors: Meredith Dank, Hanna Love, Sino Esthappan, and Janine Zweig

Published: January 2018

This exploratory study examined forced marriage in the United States context and focused on the nature and scope of forced marriage, the intersection between forced marriage and violence and abuse as well as services needed and received by those who have experience forced marriage in the U.S. It was conducted by researchers at the Urban Institute in partnership with the Tahirih Justice Center, with funding from the National Institute of Justice. Please contact the Tahirih Justice Center for more information on the research design and implications of the study’s findings.

Author: Tahirih Justice Center

Publication: January 2014

This document outlines the Tahirih Justice Center’s policy recommendations regarding what the U.S. can do to end forced marriage.

Author: Lisa V. Martin

Publication: May 30, 2018

This report, published in the Nevada Law Journal, is the first to undertake a detailed evaluation of the viability of civil protection orders to prevent and redress forced marriage in the United States. Although protection orders show promise as a tool to prevent and redress forced marriage in many states, Martin writes, the nuances of the governing legal standards reduce the practical utility of the remedy for those who lack expert guidance. To enhance the accessibility of protection orders in a forced marriage context, Martin recommends that states create a new forced marriage protection order to address the specific needs of those facing this problem.