THE HON MARK DREYFUS KC MP
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
CABINET SECRETARY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
New measures to stamp out forced marriage
Everyone in Australia should be free to choose if, who and when they marry.
In 2013 the former Labor government inserted a new offence of forced marriage into the Criminal Code through the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Slavery, Slavery-like Conditions and People Trafficking) Act 2013, making it illegal for a person to be forced into a marriage without their free and full consent.
More than a decade on, forced marriage is the most reported slavery-like offence to the Australian Federal Police.
The Australian Government is working with state and territory governments to tackle the issue of forced marriage, including by exploring enhanced civil protections and remedies for those affected.
Today a public consultation process has been launched to progress this work, following agreement at a recent meeting of the Standing Council of Attorneys General.
We want to hear from all interested stakeholders and members of the community on how enhanced civil protections could meet the needs of those at risk, particularly young women and girls.
The Government is committed to addressing the crime of forced marriage and supporting victims and survivors, including by establishing a new Forced Marriage Specialist Support Program from January 2025 to provide individualised need-based and early intervention support.
The Government last week announced the commencement of the Additional Referral Pathway pilot to facilitate access to the Support for Trafficked People Program for victims and survivors through referral from select community providers, removing the need for initial engagement with law enforcement.
For more details on the consultation, visit https://consultations.ag.gov.au/integrity/forced-marriage
The consultation will close on Monday 23 September 2024.
Getting help
Help is available for any person in or at risk of forced marriage.
If you think you, or someone you know, is being forced to marry, help is available. If there is an immediate risk of harm, contact police on 000 (triple zero). If you have information about a forced marriage, you can make a report to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) by calling 131 237 (131 AFP) or use the AFP’s confidential online form. You can also report anonymously via Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au).
For more information, see My Blue Sky, Australia’s national forced marriage service. Call (02) 9514 8115, text +61 481 070 844 (9am–5pm Monday to Friday, AEST), email [email protected] or visit www.mybluesky.org.au for support and free, confidential legal advice.
Monday, 29 July 2024
