Sweden to toughen legislation against forced marriage

Sweden is considering new measures inspired by Norwegian and UK’s legislation to limit the phenomenon of forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).

Speaking to Sverige Radio, Justice Minister Morgan Johansson explained that the legislation considered is modeled after the UK’s Forced Marriage Protection Order that holds responsible the relatives of a girl that has been taken outside the country for the purposes of FGM or forced marriage.

This kind of legislation shares the burden of moving to safeguard victims from municipalities to the state. 2014 law in place has resulted in no more than 50 investigations but has led to few convictions, TT reports.

Last week, the Lund District Court was considering a case against three men who allegedly forced a 23-year-old woman to marry in Afghanistan against her will. Among the men accused is her father.

Among the men accused is her father. The girl had a relationship in Sweden that the family did not approve. So her boyfriend was abducted, assaulted, and robbed and the woman sent to Afghanistan to marry another man.

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