Forced marriage

A forced marriage occurs when a marriage is entered into against the will of one or both parties. One or both spouses are coerced into marriage through psychological pressure or even severe physical violence.  

In many cases, the victims are minors, in which case the marriage is classified as a child marriage under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Child marriages are also a form of forced marriage, as minors are not yet able to defend themselves adequately, let alone assess the consequences of marriage.  

Forced marriage has also been prohibited under criminal law in Germany since 19 February 2005 as a serious form of coercion.  

Forced marriage violates the right to freedom of marriage, as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 48 (Article 16, paragraph 2), among other places. This right is also enshrined in the Basic Rights of the Federal Republic of Germany (Art. 6, para. 1). Forced marriage has far-reaching consequences for the life and development opportunities as well as the mental health of those affected.  

Arranged marriages are a tradition in many countries around the world. Parents look for suitable spouses for their children and sometimes engage marriage brokers. If the daughter or son agrees with the match and the choice of partner and wants to get married, this union is not a forced marriage, but an arranged marriage. In practice, the distinction is often difficult to make and the boundaries are fluid.