Title: David
Cameron in warning over forced marriages
Subject: New law will make forced marriages illegal
Web Address: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-in-warning-over-forced-marriages-7831253.html
Date: June 8
Author: David Hughes
Subject: New law will make forced marriages illegal
Web Address: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-in-warning-over-forced-marriages-7831253.html
Date: June 8
Author: David Hughes
Summary:
David Cameron
said parents who force their children into an unwanted marriage will face
"very tough punishments" under a new law. The Government is making
forced marriage a criminal offence. Cameron said victims' lives were ruined by
being taken away from the UK, often at a young age, and coerced into a
marriage. Campaigners have warned that criminalising forced marriage altogether
could deter victims from coming forward but the Government has announced an
extra £500,000 of funding to help identify and support those affected. A
special Forced Marriage Unit was involved in 594 cases from January to May this
year.
Reaction:
It is always hard to
decide when to draw the line between things that can be considered culture and
the law. It is good that the Government is clear in its intentions. If some
people will now decide not to force their children to get married that would be
a good development. However, I think that people who really want to get their
kids to marry a certain person they will find a way. A change in law might make
some difference, but does not make the problem disappear altogether. It is a
step in the good direction though.
The problem is that it has to do with a difference in culture. It is always hard to draw a straight line between what you allow and what should be punished. At the very least, this way children who are born and raised in the UK can count on help when they are forced into marriage.
ReplyDeleteHow is something that has “forced” in it not a crime? Forcing something is usually not a positive thing. The fact that I could not come up with any forced thing that could even be remotely positive shows that it is nigh impossible for something forced to be positive since I have a vivid imagination. I also do not see how there could be any discussion about the outlawing of forced marriages. It sounds criminal, it is criminal, let’s make it a crime. Discussion closed. Any people who might disagree with this point of view, please see me in my trailer.
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