You decide who you marry!
Nobody has the right – not even your parents or your family(!) – to force you to a marriage.
Nobody has the right – not even your parents or your family – to chose a partner for you against your will.
Forced marriages violate human rights, the existence of which is acknowledged by almost any states in the world today. Of course, forced marriages are forbidden according to the Basic Constitutional Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Thus, a marriage may only be celebrated due to the voluntary and complete declaration of intent of the future spouses.
Not depending on your age and nationality the following is applicable: Forced marriage is not to be justified by any tradition or religion!
Forced marriage is a criminal act!
The German criminal code does not allow anyone – not even your family – to threaten you with violence or to use violence, in order to force you to a marriage.
There are different aspects of violence:
- If you are hit and/or misused
- If you are offended, abased, depreciated or threatened
- If you are locked out
- If basic needs are refused to you (e.g. food, health, school)
- If you are not allowed to do an education.