The Australian government made an announcement last Sunday regarding the establishment of a support policy to help victims of forced marriages. This initiative is part of a broader movement to eradicate modern-day slavery in the country. Individuals who are victims or at risk of forced marriages will now be able to benefit from 200 days of complete support provided by the government’s program.
Funds amounting to AU$12.1 million will be allocated to this new initiative. An additional AU$2.2 million will be used to extend its current Speak Now anti-slavery project. Notably, victims will be able to avail the benefits of these programs without having to participate in the criminal justice process. The initiatives are designed to provide financial assistance, access to health and accommodation services, counselling and community support to the beneficiaries.
In March, the Australian Capital Territory’s Legislative Assembly introduced the Modern Slavery Legislation Amendment Bill 2023. This bill seeks to establish an anti-slavery commissioner and sets forth obligations for certain entities to address slavery risks within their operations and supply chains. The role of the anti-slavery commissioner is complementary to efforts made across government, business and civil society sectors, with the shared goal of preventing and responding to modern slavery.
Forced marriage, being one facet of modern slavery, is typically driven by a complex set of factors. Justifications for this practice often include aligning victims with someone of the same faith, culture or ethnic group. Other contributing factors may include economic stress within a family, the need to repay a debt, immigration fraud, or an attempt to cover up sexual abuse within a family or community. Forced marriage is recognized as a form of gender exploitation.
Australia’s Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth, stated: “Modern slavery, including forced marriage, is an abhorrent abuse of power, and the government is doing everything we can to eliminate it from our society.”
For further details, refer to the original news article here.