Some vulnerable adults may become victims of forced marriage. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage in that the person does not freely consent to it. A vulnerable adult may be coerced into a marriage or may not full understand the decision to marry.

What to do if you are worried

Any concerns about forced marriage of a vulnerable adult should be raised as a safeguarding alert. You can report a safeguarding concern online.

In an emergency

Contact the emergency services by dialling 999. If the abuse is a crime you should contact the police. We can assist you with this and, as a vulnerable person, you will get support during the police investigation.

If you need to contact a social worker outside of office hours please telephone 0300 303 8671. Within working hours, please telephone 020 8461 7777.

What happens next

This will depend on the seriousness of the situation and what you would like to do about it. If you are in danger we will ensure that a care manager or health worker talks to you immediately to plan how to stop the abuse happening again.