Three men allegedly coerced two teenagers into marrying each other against their will for cultural reasons.
The men, who remain unnamed, appeared in Australia’s Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, facing charges of causing a person to enter into a forced marriage under aggravated circumstances.
Australian Federal Police officers claim that the teenagers, one aged between 13 and 15 and the other aged 17, expressed a desire to date each other, but their families insisted they get married for cultural reasons.
Allegedly, the three men organized the marriage at a religious ceremony in Alexander Heights, located in Perth’s northeast, last year.
Police state that two of the men involved in the incident are relatives of the teenagers, one related to the boy and the other to the girl.
This marks the first instance of AFP officers pressing charges against individuals in Western Australia for arranging a forced marriage.
The men were granted bail and are scheduled to appear in court again next month.
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Chwal explained that a forced marriage occurs when a person is married without freely and fully consenting, often due to coercion, threats, or deceit.
He further explained that forced marriage could occur due to incapacity to understand the nature and consequences of a marriage ceremony, such as age or mental capacity.
“The legal age for marriage in Australia is 18, and while a child aged 16 to 18 can obtain permission from a court to marry, the person they wed must be an adult,” he added.
Superintendent Chwal emphasized that forced marriage is a serious crime that often involves family members as both victims and perpetrators, with the AFP prioritizing the safety and well-being of the victims.
“Our main focus is to prevent and disrupt this crime by raising awareness about Australian laws, recognizing the signs of forced marriage, and providing support to victims,” he stated.
He noted that forced marriage transcends cultural, religious, or ethnic boundaries, affecting individuals of any age, gender, or sexual orientation.
Forced marriage has been outlawed in Australia since 2013, encompassing legally recognized marriages, cultural or religious ceremonies, marriages within Australia, or marriages conducted abroad.
It also includes the actions of those involved in facilitating the forced marriage.
Superintendent Chwal highlighted common indicators of forced marriage, such as a family history of early marriages or concerns about early marriage, extreme control by family or community members, limited financial autonomy, restricted life decisions, and surveillance.
He also mentioned that individuals in forced marriages may exhibit signs of monitoring or control over their communications, express apprehension about family trips, or show distress regarding potential violence.
