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<p>The UK is a world-leader in the fight to tackle out the brutal practice of forced
marriage, with our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage
Unit (FMU) which leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad. After careful
consideration, the Foreign Secretary has decided that victims of forced marriage who
are helped to return to the UK by the FMU will no longer be asked to take out a loan
for their repatriation costs.</p><p>From now on, none of those who are assisted by
the FMU - and would previously have been offered a loan - will have to cover the costs
of their repatriation. Where possible, the Government will continue to seek to ensure
the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders.</p><p>The
Government has also agreed to ensure that those victims who have outstanding loans
will have no further cost fall to them. Their passports will also be unblocked.</p><p>The
FMU provides support and advice for victims, those at risk, and professionals, through
its public helpline. The support offered ranges from providing information and guidance
to organising rescue and repatriation to the UK for victims overseas.</p><p>Between
2012-2017, the FMU supported almost 1,500 victims of forced marriage who were overseas,
of whom 52 took loans. There were nine cases where surcharges were added. The total
value of the surcharges was £588.26.</p>
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