Without the protection of a pre-marital inventory answered separately by both parties there is a potential difficulty in distinguishing between an arranged marriage and a forced one, as the following extract from a House of Commons debate (10th July 2007) on the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Bill illustrates: Brooks Newmark: I still find it difficult to distinguish between forced marriage, arranged marriage, and psychological pressure. How does one define a forced marriage? As we heard earlier, many women come under enormous psychological pressure to go into a marriage. Is that a forced marriage? If not, why not? Humphrey Malins The definition in the Bill refers to force, including coercion "by threats or other psychological means", whatever that means. What about the situation where there is family pressure for an arranged marriage? Would it not be rather difficult to decide whether that meant it was a forced marriage? Brooks Newmark: That was very much the point I was trying to make at the beginning of my speech, to tease out from the Solicitor-General how she distinguishes arranged marriages where psychological pressures are created by families at home. They may not come from wealthy backgrounds, and financial pressure may be put on people to get involved in a marriage that ultimately becomes unwelcome and, in many ways, abusive."

Most people would agree that forced marriages are wrong but what exactly constitutes a forced mariage?

Is it for example about the government forcing young people to marry other people already residing in this country by coming up with increasingly complex rules for entry and so by increasing pressure on those who might consider marrying outside the country?

Let's not also forget that racism is about the belief that ones culture is superior to others and introducing laws that are only targeted at certain minorities cannot be the answer.

Neither can blowing the issue out of all proportion. Some are already claiming that the real figures of forced marriages are much greater than known and so obviouly they have their own idea of what a forced marriage is only they don't want to tell us.

Forced marriages are not a "Muslim" issue but a cultural phenomenon that unfortunately is practised by some people from the Indian sub-continent including non-Muslims. With the media's appetite for controversial stories involving Muslims this story has become a Muslim "issue" in their eyes.

I can give you a personal example of how the concept of arranged marriages or at least the introductory part works and how it really does boil down to the choice of the girl and the boy.

I was introduced to a prospective partner, who was related to my Mother's friend. We met and there was an initial attractione. Over the next few months we continued to meet in the presence of chapperones and communicate with one another.

However we both realised that whilst there was nothing "wrong" with the other we didn't think there was compatibility. The girl was in fact the one to refuse 1st and everyone in the respective families respected the decision because they recognised that ultimately it's the couple in question who have to spend their lives together not the introducers hence it should be the boy & girl's decision.

Had this marriage gone ahead then this would have been an arranged marriage.

If on the other pressures was exerted on wither myself or the girl then that would be called forced, which is unIslamic.

The only time they will be happy with you is when you follow them and leave your religion.
yet they will still call you a P***I like they call black people N*****S even though they speak the language eat the same tye of food and are christains in beleif.
this is just another muslim bashing excersize and people who are muslims will still vote for labour.