Forced marriage

Forced marriage happens when one or both people do not, or cannot, consent to the marriage. Even if someone initially agrees to an arranged marriage, they have the right to change their mind at any time. Forced marriage is illegal in Canada and a violation of human rights.

On this page

• Immediate action if you are at risk
• Steps to take if you are unable to avoid travel
• Steps to take if someone has already forced you to marry
• Steps to take if you know someone may be forced into marriage
• Understanding forced marriage
• Resources for help and support

Steps to take if you are unable to avoid travel

If you think someone will force you to leave Canada for a forced marriage and you cannot avoid travelling, inform someone you trust in Canada.

Try to give them the following information, if possible, before you leave:

• Contact information while you are outside Canada, including the address where you will be staying, the names of the people you will be staying with and their relationship to you.
  • This can help others locate you if you need help.
• Copies of important documents.
  • Share photocopies of your passport photo page and birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate.
  • These can help Canadian officials to verify your identity if you need assistance and help you get replacements.
• A recent photo of yourself.
  • This can help others to recognize you. It can also help them if they need to search for you or confirm your identity.
• Travel details, including your itinerary there and back, flight information, return date and names of the people travelling with you.
  • This can help someone track your location and expected movements.

Depending on your situation, and if safe to do so, you may want to consider the following safety measures:

• Know how to contact the nearest Canadian office abroad.
  • The consular services and assistance available to you will vary according to your particular circumstances and wishes, and will also depend on the laws of the country you are in.
  • Keep the contact details of the nearest Canadian office securely hidden so you can access them quickly if needed.
• Research local services that may be able to assist you.
  • The nearest Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate abroad may have some options, but if you are not located in a large city, the options may be more limited.
  • Consult the directory of domestic and sexual violence helplines and services around the world.
• Carry a hidden mobile device that works internationally, with the sound turned off.
  • A phone that works in other countries lets you call for help without anyone noticing.
  • Keep it on silent to prevent it from making noise and alerting others.
• Keep copies of important documents.
  • Have backup copies or photos of your passport, visa, entry stamp, birth certificate and travel documents.
  • They can help you prove who you are and help you get replacements.
• Bring extra passport-sized photos.
  • Keep 2 extra passport-sized photos in a secure, hidden place.
  • These can be useful if your passport is taken away from you and you need to apply for travel documents quickly.
• Carry emergency cash.
  • Keep a small amount of cash, ideally in the local currency or another currency that is normally used at your destination, hidden securely.
  • This can help you pay for food, transportation or other necessities to get to a safe place.
  • In emergency situations, the embassy, high commission or consulate can help identify options to pay for your flight back to Canada if you lack funds.
• Have a map and a list of local emergency contacts, and keep them hidden.
  • A physical map and a list of local emergency contacts can help you find safe places to go or people to call for help if you are in danger.
• Set up private communications.
  • Use code words or signals, or a separate email or social media account, to communicate with someone you trust. Make sure your password is something that other people will not be able to guess.
  • This makes it easier for you let the person know if you are in danger and can make it harder for anyone else to understand your messages.
• Stay in regular contact with people you trust.
  • Check in often and agree on a time when they should seek help if they do not hear from you.
  • This way, if something goes wrong, someone will notice quickly and can seek help or alert the authorities.
• Sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service.
  • This is a free service that allows Canadian officials to notify you if there is an emergency at your destination or a personal emergency at home.

Steps to take if someone has already forced you to marry

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and someone has already forced you into marriage:

• Consult the list of Canadian resources that support victims of gender-based violence.
• Speak to a lawyer about the options that are available to you.
  • Some of these organizations can offer legal assistance in Canada.
  • Consular officials can provide you with a list of lawyers in the country where you are located. They cannot pay legal fees or give legal advice.

Sponsorship applications with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

If someone has already forced you to marry, and is now forcing you to sponsor your spouse so they can immigrate to Canada, you may:

• Contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Client Support Centre
  • Select the option to reach the dedicated line for victims of violence, abuse and forced marriage.
  • If you fear for your safety, you can ask the officer to keep information about the forced marriage confidential.
• Request to withdraw the sponsorship application.

Important information

• You can withdraw the sponsorship application any time before the permanent resident visa is issued.
• If the visa has been issued but the person is not yet a permanent resident, the decision to accept the withdrawal will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• You cannot withdraw the application once the person you are sponsoring has already become a permanent resident.

Learn more about sponsorship and permanent residence applications (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).

If you are still outside Canada

• Contact the nearest Canadian office abroad for help.
  • The consular services and assistance available to you will vary according to your particular circumstances and wishes, and will also depend on what country you are in.
  • Consular officials can discuss what help is available to you.

Steps to take if you know someone may be forced into marriage

Signs to watch for

• They miss appointments, school, work or social events.
• They seem more anxious, depressed or scared.
• They stop meeting with you alone.
• They have injuries that they cannot explain.
• Their eating habits change.
• They talk about wanting to hurt themselves.

How to help someone at risk

• Support them with safety planning and help them understanding their rights.
• Help them find confidential and trustworthy assistance.

What you can do

• Contact community service providers for legal help, housing, counselling, health services and other support. Be discreet to protect their safety.
• Learn about the laws against forced marriage by reaching out to a community legal clinic.
• Collect important details about them, like their age, nationality, birthdate, passport information, school or work details, and trusted contacts.
• Set up a safe way to communicate, such as by phone, email or texting, or through a trusted person.
• Learn how to recognize and respond to the signal for help to support those who are in danger.

Find resources in Canada to support them.

Understanding forced marriage

Forced marriage occurs when one or both people do not, or cannot, consent to the marriage. Even if someone initially agrees to an arranged marriage, they have the right to change their mind at any time.

Forced marriage can happen to anyone, anywhere, including in Canada. In some cases, they may be taken to another country against their will to be married. Family members or community members may use emotional pressure, threats or even violence to force someone into marriage. Sometimes, people are also forced to have sex or to get pregnant. Others may also be forced to undergo female genital mutilation prior to being married. Family members will sometimes pressure an individual to get married in the erroneous belief that marriage will change their sexual orientation or identity.

In certain situations, someone may be told they are travelling to visit family, not realizing a marriage has been arranged for them. Once they arrive in the other country, their passport and money may be taken, and they may be closely watched to prevent them from returning to Canada or reaching out for help.

Forced marriage is illegal in Canada at any age. The United Nations considers it a violation of human rights. In Canada, no one under the age of 16 can legally marry. If you are over 16, different provinces and territories have varying rules about the requirements for marriage. It is also a crime to take anyone under the age of 18 out of Canada for the purpose of forcing that person to marry.

Learn more about child, early and forced marriage and unions.

Resources to help educators discuss forced marriage with youth.

Difference between forced and arranged marriage

Forced marriage is different from arranged marriage. In an arranged marriage, family members may recommend a marriage partner. However, the couple must agree to the union freely and choose to marry the potential partner. Both individuals have the right to change their mind at any time.

Resources for help and support

Government of Canada resources

• Emergency consular assistance (Global Affairs Canada)
  • Emergency support for Canadians who are outside Canada or are at risk of being taken outside Canada.
  • Depending on the local context, consular officers may be able to help you by:
    • giving you a list of local resources to help you find food, a safe place to stay, a lawyer and other support as needed
    • providing Canadian travel documents
    • providing information on how to leave the country
    • coordinating safe transportation to an airport or point of exit
    • helping you to apply for private and/or public funds, such as the Distressed Canadian Fund or the Victims Fund
    • talking to you about options once you return to Canada and providing you with information about services in Canada that you can contact

• Underage and Forced Marriage (Department of Justice Canada)
  • Underage and forced marriage policies in Canada
• Family Violence Initiative - Abuse is Wrong in Any Language (Department of Justice Canada)
  • Family violence prevention
• Financial Assistance for Canadians Victimized Abroad (Department of Justice Canada)
  • Financial assistance for Canadian victims of crime outside Canada
• Help for spouses or partners who are victims of abuse (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)
  • Support for spouses or partners facing abuse
• Immigration marriage fraud (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)
  • Recognize and protect yourself from marriage fraud
• Child, early and forced marriage (Global Affairs Canada)
  • Resources for those who are at risk of forced or early marriage
• Intimate partner violence (Women and Gender Equality Canada)
  • Learn about intimate partner violence, available resources and how to respond as a victim/survivor or witness
• Find family violence resources and services in your area (Public Health Agency of Canada)
  • Regional resources for victims/survivors of family violence

Non-governmental resources in Canada

• South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
  • Legal support for victims of forced marriage in Ontario
• Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
  • Legal services and support for women facing gender-based violence in Toronto, Ontario
• Shield of Athena
  • Support and resources for victims of abuse in Montréal, Quebec
• Indo-Canadian Women’s Association
  • Resources for Indo-Canadian women at risk of forced marriage
• South Asian Women’s Centre
  • Resources for South Asian-Canadian women who are at risk of or victims of forced marriage
• Nisa Foundation
  • Shelter and resources for Muslim Canadian women across Canada
• I Do! Project
  • Support for individuals who are at risk of or experiencing forced marriage
• Safe Centre of Peel
  • Comprehensive support for victims of abuse victims in the Peel region in Ontario
• Signal For Help (Canadian Women’s Foundation)
  • A simple one-handed gesture to use to discreetly indicate the need for help in situations of gender-based violence. Learn how to recognize and respond to this signal to support those who are in danger.
  • Violence at Home #SignalForHelp (video on how to use or recognize the Signal for Help)

Service directories

• Kids Help Phone – Resources Around Me
  • Free, 24/7 counselling and resources for youth
• NO MORE Global Directory
  • Global directory of domestic and sexual violence helplines and services around the world
• Victim Services Directory (Department of Justice Canada)
  • Directory of victim support services across Canada
• Find family violence resources and services in your area (Public Health Agency of Canada)
  • Local family violence support resources
• Victim Justice Network
  • Online resources for victims of violence
• ShelterSafe
  • Nationwide directory of shelters for women who are experiencing abuse
• 211 services in Canada
  • 24/7 helpline to connect with community, social, health and government services
• Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal - Provincial and Territorial Assistance
  • Provincial and territorial resources for child welfare and family support
• Get help now (Women and Gender Equality Canada)
  • Resources, risk assessments and crisis lines for victims and survivors of gender-based violence
• Provincial and territorial resources on gender-based violence (Women and Gender Equality Canada)
  • Resources to help victims and survivors of gender-based violence find help in their province or territory
• Youth and gender-based violence database (Women and Gender Equality Canada)
  • Database to find a list of gender-based violence resources for youth all across Canada

Related links

• Marriage outside Canada
• Advice for women travellers
• Child abduction and parenting or custody issues
• Conversion therapy outside Canada