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.

Author: Tahirih Justice Center

Forced marriage intersects with many other forms of harm, including child abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and female genital mutilation/cutting. Being aware of forced marriage as a common form of underlying abuse can help refugee service providers to better address client needs that, when initially presented, may seem unrelated. This resource provides information about warning signs and best practice tips for service providers working with refugee clients who disclose forced marriage concerns.

This webinar features Laura Vidal, a Social Worker with a Masters in Human Rights Law and Policy from Sydney, Australia. Drawing on her experience of developing and delivering Australia’s only survivor advocates program for victims of human trafficking and slavery (including forced marriage) —The Freedom Advocates Project— Laura Vidal presented key guidelines for engaging survivors in equal and equitable advocacy to influence policy development and service delivery. Opening authentic and equitable space for survivors’ voices to be heard is essential in the movement to end violence against women, and this webinar provides a roadmap for building principled survivor engagement opportunities and programs. This webinar is appropriate for all advocates working in the field of gender-based violence and human trafficking, including those in direct service and public policy advocacy on the local, state and federal level.

Author: Laura Vidal
Publication: December 2017

In this report to the Churchill Trust, Laura Vidal showcases learning on the treatment of forced marriage from Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the United States, Canada, and Kenya. From her observations of how the practice is addressed in these countries, Vidal distills a list of best practices and makes recommendations for how Australia can better respond to child, early, and forced marriage.