During this live webinar, a panel of expert legal professionals from the United Kingdom provide background on the UK process which led to the creation of a civil forced marriage protection order (FMPO) in 2008, and the creation of a separate criminal offense of forced marriage as well as the criminalization of breaches of the FMPO in 2014. The panelists offer candid reflections on the current state of the law and the impact of the FMPO (over 850 issued to date) and criminalization (46 prosecutions reported since 2014; one conviction to date) on survivors’ willingness to come forward to seek help and their ability to access the resources they need.

Presenters Included:

Anne-Marie Hutchinson OBE, QC (Hon) is a partner at the Dawson Cornwell firm in London and a renowned family law attorney with expertise in forced marriages, children’s law, international family law, international custody disputes, and child abduction.

Nazir Afzal OBE was the Director of the United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Service from 2011-2015 and currently serves as Chief Executive of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners.

Rashid Begum is a survivor of “honour” based violence and attempted forced marriage who has dedicated both her professional and private life to ensuring that others at risk are protected. A former police officer and a qualified lawyer, Rashid now serves as a solicitor for the police in the UK.

This webinar was presented on July 15th, 2016 as part of the National Network to Prevent Forced Marriage Quarterly Webinar Series.