Arranged marriage

Forced marriage and underage marriages are illegal not just in the UK but also in India and Pakistan. It's of note that in four American states there is no minimum age and in one it is 15 and there have been "marriages" of girls as young as 9! From 1978 in India the minimum age for marriage of a woman is 18 and 21 for a man whereas it was still legal for 16 year olds to marry in the UK until 2023 and it's still legal in Scotland.

It may be illegal but it still happens.
Likewise dowry was banned in India in the 1960’s but is still up and running in 2026 both in India and here and no doubt in many other countries amongst Indian communities.

Last year in India there were not far off 7, 000 dowry deaths where brides died.

Young men and women, usually still teenagers are taken to India or Pakistan for a ‘ holiday’ and are married off there.

As others say, an arranged marriage is fine as long as both parties are happy with it, and it’s more like an introduction.

Another ( very) old thread!
An arranged marriage is not necessarily the same thing as a forced marriage. In the case of the former, that is entirely their business.
If the latter , wrong and as I understand, illegal in this country as in many others.

Entirely depends on the circumstances. Educated, independent woman with free will, that’s her choice.
A much younger girl with no agency being married off to an older man, big, fat No.

A story from decades ago, which has stuck with me.
A young Italian woman spurned her suiter, was kidnapped, then assaulted.
The expectation was that she would regain her honour by marrying her abuser.
She refused, and backed by her parents, very unusual at that time, took him to court.
The bit I remember was footage of her walking to court, and the locals coming out to surround and protect her from being shot.