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Heather Heiman on the Tahirih Justice Center's survey identifying up to 3000 cases of forced marriages in the United States.
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Welcome back -- on the -- -- foxnews.com.
Live we -- about this issue with our legal panel.
-- -- -- camera holding yesterday but now we're delighted to be joined by head behind the newest project manager.
Of the Foster marriage initiative and senior policy attorney at that -- -- justice Sandra I have -- -- -- stepped.
To -- it correctly.
It's tie her racing here can't -- thank you I have a good good good to have you with us.
I was I I -- started reading about this really yes today -- we did.
Our -- segment on it with the our legal panel I was stunned.
To hear the details of this explained just what is going -- to our viewers.
Well about two years ago on that at Tyree did a survey on the issue of forced marriage because we've been receiving calls.
From young women who are primarily from immigrant families in the United States.
Who oftentimes where US citizens.
Or had been brought over here either born here brought over here when they were very young.
Grew up.
Kind of normal American childhoods.
And then hours of secretly being forced into marriage when they -- so it kind of high school age or college -- And so we decided we need to look into this issue a little bit further because there weren't any resources.
To serve their needs and to protect them.
-- -- I just want to put up some of the details on the screen here for our viewers according to your survey.
Three as many as 3000.
Cases would put up her own thing that as 3000 cases.
During the two years all of your survey and then now what we've got on the screen that is the definition of a -- marriage.
One that takes place without the full and free consent of 10 -- bodies.
Can happen either gender at any age it may be -- marriage -- threatened -- one that's already taken place either in the US.
Or abroad album and what in what sort of communities.
Have all of these forced marriages generally taking place.
The results of our survey showed that these types of marriages are occurring in many different communities and from people with many different religious backgrounds and we had.
Reports of forced marriages occurring in family is for the families -- originally from.
India Pakistan and Yemen from Mexico El Salvador from different countries in Africa.
But also as well from places in Europe from Poland -- -- Russia.
On the other countries that you might not expect.
And then that didn't do go frightening thing is the threats against the victims we'll have a kind of -- a list of the sorts of things they face emotional blackmail.
Isolation tactics if we can put that up on the street social -- they should not an easy way to say.
Death threats against the victim deception and -- it's just it's it's just an up.
Calling the situation to even contemplate -- any young woman all all man for that matter as you say it's either -- being in in the modern world.
Yeah I can put extreme pressure.
On these young individuals when they're being told who.
And when they should Mary and they're basically feeling like they're being forced against their will.
And they are often facing the thing we see most commonly is that extreme emotional and psychological pressure.
On threats of being the sound from the family but there are cases where it does rise to a more vicious level where there are threats or actual physical violence or in some cases.
Instances of kidnapping taking somebody abroad or death -- -- all right so -- walked can be done to combat this have a.
Well I think the most important thing to do right now is to continue.
To raise awareness about this issue in the United States.
And also if somebody comments you if you're a teacher.
Police officer a doctor and they say they're for -- facing a forced marriage.
It's really important to first tell them that you believe them second let them know you're taking the situation seriously.
Also that they have the right to say no and that there are resources that are available to help them.
All right and anybody was -- -- can go to your website which is yes.
It's www.
Top -- dot org.
Okay and we're putting up on the screen that Anaheim and project manager of the force marriage initiative in senior policy attorney at that top array.
Justice center thank you so much -- fascinating -- -- great it's an important subject and one.
Other we will keep up on here a tough on the hunt.
