Combatting Forced Marriage: Strengthening Protection in Scots Law

Project Overview

On 31 July 2024, Professor Janeen Carruthers and Felicity Belton of the University of Glasgow delivered their report on Combatting Forced Marriage: Strengthening Protection in Scots Law (PDF).

The Report is the product of a three year research project, funded by the Scottish Government – Inspiring Scotland – Delivering Equally Safe, and examining the protection afforded in Scots law to individuals who are at risk of forced marriage.

Research Aims and Objectives

The researchers engaged with legal practitioners, individuals, and organisations to investigate how the legal framework operates in practice and to assess the effectiveness of available legal remedies and sanctions, with a view to understanding whether protection against forced marriage needs strengthening in Scots law.

Research Methods

It comprised six workstreams, encompassing a review of legislation and case law, data collection through interviews and questionnaires, thematic analysis of the data generated, and dissemination of findings. The dataset generated, conclusions and recommendations will enable policymakers to strengthen victim protection and will inform legal education on forced marriage.

Project Funding

£115,000 from the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe Project.

Project Dates

The project began in October 2021 and reported in July 2024.

Project Co-Investigators

On 31 July 2024, Professor Janeen Carruthers and Felicity Belton of the University of Glasgow delivered their report on Combatting Forced Marriage: Strengthening Protection in Scots Law (PDF). The Report distils key findings, based on the case digest, the Freedom of Information requests and recorded statistics, and the views and experiences of the professionals who participated in the project, and sets out 14 recommendations that the researchers consider are apt to address the issues identified.