AFP calls on school communities to combat rise in forced marriage

In Short

• Rising Reports: Forced marriage reports to the AFP jumped nearly 30 per cent last financial year, rising from 91 to 118 cases.
• Schools as Shield: Educators are uniquely positioned to spot ‘subtle’ behavioural changes in students at risk.
• It is a Crime: Forced marriage has been illegal in Australia since 2013; it differs from ‘arranged’ marriage as it involves coercion, threats, or a lack of legal age/consent.

As school gates prepare to swing open across the state, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is urging local communities to stay vigilant against a quiet but growing crime, forced marriage.

Data from the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) reveals that reports of forced marriage jumped nearly 30 per cent last financial year, rising from 91 cases in 2023-24 to 118 in 2024-25.

While these figures may seem a world away from the quiet streets of the Far West, AFP Commander Human Exploitation Helen Schneider says the risk is very real and often hidden.

"It’s a crime people often assume doesn’t happen here in Australia. But it can and it does, it could be happening in your neighbourhood and your street," Commander Schneider said.

In regional towns where everyone knows everyone, the proximity of teachers to their students is a major asset in identifying potential victims.

Because local educators interact with students daily, they are often the first to notice the subtle shifts that signal a child might be in trouble.

"Because educators interact with their students day in and day out, they get to know them at a fundamental level," Commander Schneider said.

"This uniquely positions them to identify any changes in behaviour that could seem incredibly subtle to an outsider."

Forced marriage occurs when a person is married without freely and fully consenting due to coercion, threats, or deception.

In Australia, the legal age for marriage is 18 (or 16 with court permission to marry an adult).

• Key indicators for community members to watch for include:
• Isolation: A sudden withdrawal from school friends or social circles.
• Monitoring: Students who appear constantly monitored by family members or have very limited privacy.
• Travel anxiety: Expressing fear or concern regarding upcoming family travel overseas.
• Family history: Older siblings who may have left school early to marry young.

Commander Schneider noted that the crime is particularly difficult to police because it often involves family members.

 Victims may feel a sense of conflicting loyalty or fear retribution.

"People may not report this crime due to a lack of awareness of their rights, a distrust of law enforcement, and a fear of retribution, especially when the perpetrators are from their own communities or families," she said.

The AFP continues to deploy Human Exploitation Community Officers (HECO) to engage with at-risk areas and schools, providing advice on rights and how to seek help safely.

Commander Schneider emphasised that help is available for anyone, regardless of ethnicity or gender.

"If you suspect you, or someone you know at school, is being forced, threatened, coerced or deceived into marriage, please do not hesitate to seek help."

How to seek help:

• Immediate Danger: Call Triple Zero (000).
• Report Concerns: Call 131 AFP (237) or use the AFP’s online human trafficking report.
• Support: Contact My Blue Sky or Life Without Barrier’s Forced Marriage Specialist Support Program.