The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007

The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 came into force on 25 November. It inserts a new Part 4A into the Family Law Act to create a Forced Marriage Protection Order. An application for a FMPO can be made by the victim, any relevant third party and any other person who is given permission. Relevant third parties will include government bodies, the NSPCC, the police, local authorities, and certain non-governmental organisations. The order is not restricted to associated persons, but maybe made against a wide range of people. Possible orders include orders preventing a forced marriage, to hand over passports, to stop intimidation and violence, to disclose the whereabouts of a person, to prevent someone from being taken abroad, to prevent contact and to change a name.