Forced Marriage in Australia: Building a Social Response with Frontline Workers
We are pleased to be able to share the findings from our research undertaken as part of the Speak Now project.
The practice of forced marriage has been the subject of focused attention over the past 15 years in Australia. The policy approach has largely centred on criminal law responses. In this paper, we turn to the social safety net, supports available for those experiencing pressure to marry or in a forced marriage, and their families. We report on eight focus groups with 56 participants working in key frontline roles, drawing on their perspectives to advance our understanding of key features of the social response. We identify four key features: the first is relational; frontline workers observe that an effective social response is contingent on trusting, client-led relationships. Secondly, appropriate framing and considered language is highlighted as critical. The third and fourth features are structural considerations within a social response: Australia’s migration and asylum-seeking system and the resourcing of relevant social services.
To read the article in Social & Legal Studies in full: click here.
To read a brief overview of the findings: click here.
To learn more about Anti-Slavery Australia’s research and advocacy work, click here.
This article was written by Dr Jacqueline Nelson and Professor Jennifer Burn.
With thanks to the Speak Now team at Anti-Slavery Australia: Kaius Clark, Elsie Cheung and Emma Burn.
This work was supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services under the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children 2010– 2022, and National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children 2022–2032.