Forced marriages

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It's estimated that thousands of school-age children, both boys and girls, disappear from the rolls of British schools and colleges every year, to be forced into marriage with someone from their parents' home country, often Pakistan or Bangladesh. New legislation gives schools and teachers the power to go to court if they fear one of their pupils may be at risk. In this programme, we give you the facts about forced marriage, and advice on what you should do if you fear for the safety of one of your pupils. Wayne Ives from the Government's Forced Marriage Unit explains how you can spot the signs that a pupil may be in danger. We hear from one teenager, Narina, who escaped a forced marriage to her cousin in Pakistan. Shaykh Faiz Siddiqi from the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal explains why forced marriage has nothing to do with Islamic law, and clarifies the difference between arranged and forced marriages. The programme is presented by Helen Jordan.