Authors: Forced Marriage Working Group

Publication: October, 2021

This Framework is the result of months of collaboration and consultation with our partners in the National Forced Marriage Working Group, and is the first document of its kind charting a comprehensive path forward on the issue of forced and child marriage in the U.S. The Framework calls for an intersectional approach to supporting survivors rooted in anti-oppression and anti-racism, increased awareness among service providers, advocates, and policy makers as well as a coordinated whole of government response, dedicated funding streams to enhance programs and services, and support for research and policy change at the state and federal level. Read more.

Authors: Cristine Belles-Obrero and Maria Lombardi

Publication: August 1, 2021

New research looks at the effect of minimum marriage age reforms in Mexico, and includes insights for advocates working to end child marriage in the United States. Among these is the fact that many Mexican states took an incremental approach to child marriage reform, first raising their minimum marriage age to 16 before eventually ending all marriage under 18, without exceptions – perhaps providing a useful blueprint for effective incremental reform in U.S. states that resist going to age 18 as a first step. The researchers also found that action by the federal government seems to have been critical in pushing states to pass “18, no exceptions” laws, again laying out a strategic model available for U.S. advocates who could push Congress to incentivize more U.S. states to take action.

Author: Forced Marriage Initiative

Publication: July, 2021

This framework provides comprehensive guidance for service providers who may encounter individuals facing forced marriage. It includes an overview of the complex nature of forced marriage cases, tips for screening and conducting a needs assessment, sample intake forms, and appendices offering more specific guidance on safety planning for relocation, travel abroad, family mapping, working with minors, and the intersection of forced marriage with female genital mutilation/cutting.

This document provides a comprehensive framework for identifying and responding to cases of forced marriage. The Framework includes tips for screening for forced marriages, how to incorporate forced marriage into standard intake processes, information on safety planning and relocation, tips for handling cases that involve travel out of the country, tips for family mapping and working with minors, and information about the intersection of forced marriage with female genital mutilation/cutting.

Authors: Futures Without Violence, Tahirih Justice Center

Published: March 2021

Healthcare providers are a crucial point of contact for survivors and individuals facing forced marriage. Tahirih collaborated with Anisa Ali of Futures Without Violence to create a resource specifically focused on forced marriage to be made available in healthcare settings. This tool is most effective when placed in private areas such as restrooms and exam rooms, and may be given to patients routinely as part of regular visits, or upon disclosure of abuse. Included are definitions of forced marriage and how it differs from arranged marriage, indicators of force, fraud and coercion, information about the health consequences of forced and child marriage, and resources for individuals facing forced marriage to seek support.

When printed, the safety card can be folded to the size of a business card to allow for discretion when sharing it with at-risk patients. It can also be used as a script for providers, and given to the patient as a resource to let them know that Marriage is Your Choice.