The March 13 article "U.K. gets tough on arranged marriages" explains the result of Britain's investigation of 400 forced marriages. There are over 1.8 million Muslims in Britain, and a conclusion was reached that most forced marriages take place in Britain's Muslim communities. The article notes that a new act is to be introduced this year that will allow judges more power to remove victims of abuse from households and issue protection orders. Families who break the protection order could be arrested.
In my opinion, the British government is doing the right thing. As the article notes, the practice of forced marriage often involves criminal acts such as rape and kidnapping. When forced marriages are customary or arranged according to what family members think is right, the British government cannot alter such choices, but it does have a right to remove victims of abuse from such households and issue protection orders for them.
In addition, the British government should take action against other people who commit harsh and abusive acts toward their spouses, even if the marriage wasn't forced.
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