Child marriage is still legal in the UK. At last, the first step has been taken to ban it
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Not many Britons know that in England and Wales, 16- and 17-year-olds can marry with parental ‘consent’. For ‘consent’ read ‘coercion’.
By Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Periodically, the small screen makes such a massive impact on viewers it spurs political action and social reform. Did you watch Honour on ITV last week? Please do, if you didn’t.
The two-parter was based on the truly tragic, brief life of Banaz Mahmod, a British-Kurdish girl who was forced to marry at the age of 17.
Her older husband allegedly abused her until she fled and soon after, fell in love with Rahmat Sulemani, a fellow Kurd. The couple were harassed and threatened. They approached the police five times for help and no action was taken. For seeking safety and happiness, in 2006, her father and other relatives organised her execution.
Male relatives raped and tortured Banaz before strangling her. Caroline Goode, a good cop, located Banaz’s body and nailed the killers.
Kurdish contacts tell me the men are unrepentant. ...
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