Author: Forced Marriage Initiative
Publication: October, 2025

This guide offers service providers at all levels practical tools to identify, respond, and assist those impacted by forced marriage. The guide can easily be used to improve intake, screening, or assessment protocols as it includes questions to support service providers asking about the onset of marriage. Family and community mapping questions are included to help identify the web of potential individuals perpetrating harm. The guide could also be used to uncover potential service gaps, enhance safety planning, and ensure the appropriate referral connections are provided. 

By using this guide, service providers can strengthen their approach to working with those impacted by forced marriage, opening the doors to accessing safe supportive systems that validate their experiences and can respond to their needs with care. 

Also available in Spanish and English.

Author: Forced Marriage Initiative
Publication: October, 2025

This guide offers service providers at all levels practical tools to identify, respond, and assist those impacted by forced marriage. The guide can easily be used to improve intake, screening, or assessment protocols as it includes questions to support service providers asking about the onset of marriage. Family and community mapping questions are included to help identify the web of potential individuals perpetrating harm. The guide could also be used to uncover potential service gaps, enhance safety planning, and ensure the appropriate referral connections are provided. 

By using this guide, service providers can strengthen their approach to working with those impacted by forced marriage, opening the doors to accessing safe supportive systems that validate their experiences and can respond to their needs with care. 

Also available in English and French.

Author: Forced Marriage Initiative
Publication: October, 2025

This guide offers service providers at all levels practical tools to identify, respond, and assist those impacted by forced marriage. The guide can easily be used to improve intake, screening, or assessment protocols as it includes questions to support service providers asking about the onset of marriage. Family and community mapping questions are included to help identify the web of potential individuals perpetrating harm. The guide could also be used to uncover potential service gaps, enhance safety planning, and ensure the appropriate referral connections are provided. 

By using this guide, service providers can strengthen their approach to working with those impacted by forced marriage, opening the doors to accessing safe supportive systems that validate their experiences and can respond to their needs with care. 

Also available in Spanish and French.

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.

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