Girls as young as five 'forced into marriage'

Hundreds of young women in London are being told by their parents to accept a forced marriage, figures reveal today.

They include dozens of girls under 15 and many more older teenagers. The Home Office published the figures as David Cameron announced plans to criminalise forced marriage, which he branded “little more than slavery”.

The Government’s Forced Marriage Unit offered advice in 580 cases in the capital between January last year and last month. About one of 10 of the victims was under 15, with the youngest being five and the oldest 89.

About four out of five of the cases involved women victims.

Nearly half the cases involved people  of Pakistani origin, nine per cent were of Bangladeshi origin, nine per cent were from Britain and three per cent were from Afghanistan.

Ministers say the unit’s cases are the “tip of the iceberg”. Campaigners have warned that criminalising forced marriage could deter victims from coming forward but the Prime Minister today said an extra £500,000 of funding would help identify and support those affected.

Protection orders — to stop harassment — will also remain so that victims can pursue cases through the civil courts or start criminal proceedings against their parents.

Mr Cameron said: “To force anyone into marriage against their will is simply wrong and that is why we have taken decisive action to make it illegal.” The prison sentences available will be set out in the legislation.

But Andrew Flanagan, chief executive of children’s charity NSPCC, said the change would need to be monitored to ensure the problem was not pushed further underground.

He warned that victims could be more wary of coming forward if it could mean their parents being jaile