No one should be forced to sacrifice their future
Being forced to marry is a crime. Support is always available.
Our service commences on the 2nd of January 2025
We are unable to respond to enquires before this date. If you are in danger and require support before this date, please reach out to emergency service providers.
Force, pressure and coercion should never exist in marriage.
Were you pressured to get married, or felt scared to say no? Are going through this right now? There is support available from people that understand what you're going through.
What is “forced marriage” and who does it affect?
A ‘forced marriage’ happens when somebody gets married without freely and fully consenting, because they have been coerced, threatened or deceived, or when they aren’t able to understand the meaning and consequences of getting married. It is the most common form of modern slavery in Australia and remains drastically underreported.
Anybody can be a victim of a forced marriage, regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation or religious or cultural background. However, forced marriage tends to disproportionately affect young women and girls.
Forced marriage is a crime and should always be reported.
If you’re concerned that a friend or family member is being forced to marry, or you’re a supporting agency, you can safely refer them for dedicated and discreet support.
What support is available?
Our specialist support program provides wrap-around support to empower individuals to make the best possible choices for themselves.
This includes working with individuals to establish immediate safety, supporting holistic wellbeing and making connections to financial, legal and health providers, building pathways to independence through employment and education and working alongside families to re-establish connection and create safer home environments.
Discreet and personalised support is always available.
Our trauma-informed, integrated support includes access to emergency accommodation, dedicated legal and financial advice and personalised counselling.
What to look for: Warning signs of forced marriage
Recognising the signs of forced marriage can be crucial for prevention, early intervention, and accessing the necessary support.
Warning signs to look out for include when a person’s communication is restricted or cut off, when sudden and often unexplained travel plans are made on behalf of a person, when a person is withdrawn from school unexpectedly, when a person expresses fear or anxiety about the future and / or when a person’s autonomy is significantly limited or restricted entirely.
Your voice matters – your marriage is your decision.
Real and informed consent is a bedrock of Australian marriage law. Without it, a marriage is invalid and potentially, a crime. If you didn’t consent to your marriage, we’re here to help.
The Life Without Barriers team are here for you.
At Life Without Barriers, we see people as individuals with unique needs and tailor our services to meet these needs by adopting a person-centred approach.
We have extensive experience delivering trauma-informed care to young and vulnerable people, and have a sophisticated understanding of the effects of trauma on development, behaviour, and mental and physical health.
Whether you’re at risk of being forced to marry, you know someone who is, or you’re already in a marriage which you didn’t freely consent to, we are here to help.