Forced Marriages and Honour Abuse Services
Karma Nirvana
We’re Here to Support You
Our trained and experienced helpline team is ready to assist, whether you’re unsure if what you’re experiencing is Honour Based Abuse or if you need emotional and practical guidance.
What to Expect When You Contact Us
- We’ll begin by asking how we can help you today.
- You can ask questions about your situation, Honour Based Abuse, or Karma Nirvana.
- Our responses are trauma-informed, ensuring you feel heard and supported.
Why Call Us?
- Many describe the experience as life-changing, as we often validate their experiences for the first time.
- We provide information about services available to you.
- We offer a compassionate and understanding space for open and honest conversations.
Who is the helpline for?
Our helpline is available to all ethnic backgrounds, sexualities, gender identities and nationalities. We also offer support in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu as well as English.
Contact Details
0800 5999 247 from Mon-Fri between 9am-5pm.
Forced Marriage Unit
A forced marriage is where one or both people do not or cannot consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used to force them into the marriage. It is also when anything is done to make someone marry before they turn 18, even if there is no pressure or abuse.
Forced marriage is illegal in the UK. It is a form of domestic abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.
The pressure put on people to marry against their will may be:
- physical: for example, threats, physical violence or sexual violence
- emotional and psychological: for example, making someone feel like they are bringing ‘shame’ on their family
Financial abuse, for example taking someone’s wages, may also be a factor.
How the Forced Marriage Unit can help
The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) is a joint Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Home Office unit which leads on the government’s forced marriage policy, outreach and casework. It operates both inside the UK (where support is provided to any individual) and overseas (where consular assistance is provided to British nationals, including dual nationals).
The FMU operates a public helpline to provide advice and support to:
- victims and potential victims of forced marriage
- professionals dealing with cases
The FMU public helpline can help with:
- safety advice
- providing assistance when an unwanted spouse is due to move to the UK (‘reluctant sponsor’ cases)
- where possible, assistance in repatriation of victims held against their will overseas
If you’re trying to stop a forced marriage or need help leaving a marriage that you’ve been forced into the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) can help you.
You have the right to choose who you marry, when you marry or if you marry at all. In fact it is against the law for someone to force you to marry without your consent. This includes being taken abroad or marrying someone who isn't mentally capable to make a decision on marriage.
By calling the FMU, they will give your free advice on what to do next. They too can help you find a safe place to stay should you need it and stop a UK visa if you’ve been forced to sponsor someone.
Call the FMU on 020 7008 0151 or 020 7008 1500 (ask for Global Response Centre) out of hours. Contact the nearest British embassy if you’re already abroad.
Contact Details
020 7008 0151 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Out of hours 020 7008 1500 (ask for Global Response Centre)
