Three men allegedly forced two teenage boys who wanted to date to marry for cultural reasons.
The men, who cannot be identified, appeared in court in Perth, Australia, on Friday, charged with causing a person to enter into a forced marriage under aggravated circumstances.
Australian Federal Police officers say the teenagers, one aged 13 to 15 and the other 17, wanted to date but were told by relatives they should marry for cultural reasons.
The three men are believed to have arranged the marriage at a religious ceremony in Alexander Heights, in Perth’s north-east, last year.
Police say two of the men involved in the incident are related to the teens, one to the boy and the other to the girl.
This is the first time AFP officers have filed charges against people in Western Australia for arranging a forced marriage.
The men were released on bail and are due to appear in court again next month.
AFP Police Commissioner Peter Chwal said the definition of a forced marriage was when a person entered into a marriage without free and full consent because they had been coerced, threatened or deceived.
He said it could also be because they were unable to understand the nature and effect of a marriage ceremony for reasons such as age or mental capacity.
“The legal age of marriage in Australia is 18, and although a child aged 16 to 18 can get permission from a court to marry, the person they marry must be an adult,” he said.
Supt Chwal said forced marriage was a complex crime as it often involved family members as victims and perpetrators, and the AFP’s number one priority was the welfare and safety of victims.
“AFP’s primary goal is to disrupt and prevent this crime, by raising awareness of Australia’s laws, the warning signs of forced marriage and the help that can be provided to victims,” he said.
“If victims do not feel comfortable speaking directly to the police, there are many services and organisations that can provide support to keep them safe.”
He said forced marriage was not limited to any cultural group, religion or ethnicity.
“Anyone can be a victim of forced marriage, regardless of age, gender or sexual orientation,” said Supt Chwal.
Forced marriage has been illegal in Australia since 2013 and can apply to legally recognised marriages, cultural or religious ceremonies, marriages performed in Australia or where a person is taken overseas to marry.
This could also include the conduct of those involved in facilitating forced marriage.
According to Superintendent Chwal, common signs of forced marriage include a person whose older siblings dropped out of school early, married early, or expressed fear of early marriage, and a person who was heavily controlled by family or community members inside and outside the home, including through surveillance. These individuals were always accompanied, restricted, or had no control over finances, life decisions, education, or career choices.
Supt Chwal said their communications were often monitored or restricted and expressed concern about upcoming family holidays.
He added that people might also feel conflicted or concerned about the consequences if they don’t marry or get engaged as planned, or if they express concerns about physical or emotional abuse.
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