THE minimum legal age required to get married has been raised to 18 in England and Wales today.
The change to the law means that 16 and 17-year-olds can no longer wed or enter a civil partnership in England or Wales — even with parental consent.
It is targeted at those who exploit vulnerable children by arranging for them to marry young, and will apply under any circumstances, whether or not force was used.
Anyone found guilty faces seven years in prison.
Natasha Rattu, of the Karma Nirvana charity, part of the Girls Not Brides Coalition, said: “The change to legislation on child marriage is a huge victory for survivors.
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"It is a huge leap forward to tackling this usually hidden abuse and will provide a greater degree of protection to those at risk.
“Last year, the national Honour Based Abuse helpline supported 64 cases of child marriage, representing only a small picture of a much bigger problem.
We hope that the new law will help to increase identification and reporting, affording greater protection to children at risk.”
The Government’s forced marriage unit provided advice or support in 118 cases involving victims aged under 18 in 2021.