West Midlands: Your comments...

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Some of your comments on today's programme...

Calls

The law of a country is controlled by the dominant culture.
Derek, Stoke on Trent

We had an arranged marriage and I think it should be criminalised.
Risman, Telford

I think it should be made illegal to force people into marriage.
Val, Walsall

I am a Muslim person. Forced marriage is totally against my religion, it is illegal, and the religion forbids it.
Mrs Sumar, Birmingham

Forced marriage should be made totally illegal.
Mr Humphries, Ashfield

Forced marriage shouldn't be allowed. It's the parents' fault and it should be stopped
Lillian, Stafford

I think it should be made illegal for someone to be forced to marry someone who they supposedly "love".
Mrs Bishop, Walsall

E-Mails

In my opinion forced marriages should be made against the law, not only because the women don't have any choice, but also because it's unethical and immoral. It's also a human rights issue. A lot of the time these women don't have any choice but if it was against the law then the families would be more afraid and reluctant in forcing the marriage.
Payal Patel, England

"Forced Marriage" is an oxymoron. Surely in this country, a marriage requires the consent of the parties being married. If that consent is absent then the marriage is not valid. Hence either it is 'forced' and not a marriage; or it is a marriage and cannot have been forced. Of course, this says nothing of the law in Asian countries where someone may have been pressed into marriage against his/her will. The law could be made to say that lack of consent invalidates a marriage wherever in the world the ceremony may have occurred, but there would be a problem of proving what happened in another country.
Bert, England

I believe that the problem with a law prohibiting forced marriages is that it will not solve the problem. Those being forced into such a marriage fear refusal not only because of reprisals - which the law would address as a human right etc - but fear the experience of excommunication from their family, culture and all they know. I have several Asian friends in unhappy marriages that are unwilling to use processes available to them, such as divorce, because they fear the experience of suddenly finding themselves alone and labelled as 'failures' with regard to their cultural ideologies. Perhaps more publicly visible support networks would provide a solution. If someone had the confidence of knowing they can still be culturally accepted by others who are members of a support group then they would be willing to stand up and use available methods of refusing to comply with an unwanted marriage. My friends are worried they will be alone and excluded from all they have known.
Hayley, England

I totally disagree with the idea of forced marriages. I think this should come to an end, due to these innocent young lives are being affected. Forced marriage doesn't work out for anyone.
Inderjeet Kaur (14), Walsall

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