Germany issues warning over forced marriages during summer holidays

Authorities in Germany are warning that summer holidays are being used by some families to facilitate forced marriages abroad. The Ministry of Education in Baden-Württemberg has introduced emergency protocols and forms for schools, instructing teachers to recognize warning signs when students fail to return to class after the holidays.

Officials note that victims often travel under the false impression they can refuse a marriage once abroad, only to have their passports, mobile phones, and cash confiscated, making repatriation extremely difficult. While the German government classifies forced marriage as a “severe violation of human rights,” exact figures are difficult to obtain due to a large unreported dark field.

Police statistics recorded over 60 cases under Section 237 of the Criminal Code in 2024, following approximately 80 cases in 2023 and 70 in 2022. A survey by the women's rights organization Terre des Femmes in 2022 identified 1,847 cases or suspicions of threatened or completed early or forced marriages, with 379 confirmed.