Prevalence, dynamics and characteristics of forced marriage in Spain

Abstract

Forced marriages were criminalized in Spain in 2015, both as a specific form of coercion and as a type of human trafficking. Unfortunately, the legal operation was carried out without information on whether forced marriages were taking place in Spain and what specific individuals were at risk. This paper presents the main findings of an empirical study aimed at detecting the existence of victims of forced marriage in Spain. A total of 150 support organizations operating in Spain reported their knowledge of the extent and dynamics of forced marriages, revealing the existence of people forced to marry against their will, including some legal residents and even Spanish nationals. The results contribute to the debate on what is tolerable in today's globalized society and underscore the need to understand the reality before embarking on the road to criminalization, as Spanish lawmakers have done.