Forced Marriage Australia Essay
Description. Forced marriage is a crime in Australia, and is punishable by up to seven years in prison. Under Commonwealth law a forced marriage is one where a person gets married without fully and freely consenting because they have been coerced, threatened or deceived. A person can be coerced through obvious means such as force, detention or duress, or through more subtle means like psychological oppression,
…show more content…
The Legal Responses to this issue involves amending the Commonwealth Criminal Code to recognise forced marriage as a serious form of exploitation and a crime. Under the Criminal Code, the forced marriage offences carry a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment, or seven years’ imprisonment for an aggravated offence. An offence may be aggravated in several circumstances—including where the victim is under the age of eighteen. *Arranged marriages are not captured by these …show more content…
This includes developing a communications awareness strategy on human trafficking and slavery. As part of this strategy, the Australian Government will develop a series of awareness materials on early and forced marriage—including materials written in relevant community languages. The government is also working in line with community investors to raise awareness of forced marriage issues with religious and civil celebrants, migrant and legal resource centers, domestic violence services, child support agencies—as well as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Article 23 of the ICCPR states that
1. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state.
2. The right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to found a family shall be recognised.
3. No marriage shall be entered into without the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
4. States parties to the present covenant shall take appropriate steps to ensure equality of rights and responsibilities of spouses as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. In the case of dissolution, provision shall be made for the necessary protection of any
The Legal Responses to this issue involves amending the Commonwealth Criminal Code to recognise forced marriage as a serious form of exploitation and a crime. Under the Criminal Code, the forced marriage offences carry a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment, or seven years’ imprisonment for an aggravated offence. An offence may be aggravated in several circumstances—including where the victim is under the age of eighteen. *Arranged marriages are not captured by these …show more content…
This includes developing a communications awareness strategy on human trafficking and slavery. As part of this strategy, the Australian Government will develop a series of awareness materials on early and forced marriage—including materials written in relevant community languages. The government is also working in line with community investors to raise awareness of forced marriage issues with religious and civil celebrants, migrant and legal resource centers, domestic violence services, child support agencies—as well as people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Article 23 of the ICCPR states that
1. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state.
2. The right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to found a family shall be recognised.
3. No marriage shall be entered into without the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
4. States parties to the present covenant shall take appropriate steps to ensure equality of rights and responsibilities of spouses as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. In the case of dissolution, provision shall be made for the necessary protection of any