Forced marriage, FGM and other harmful practices
Harmful practices are behaviours based on discrimination because of sex, gender, age or other protected characteristics. They often involve violence and can cause physical or psychological harm.
Harmful practices can affect people of all sexes, sexual identities and genders. They are not unique to any culture or religion.
Recognising harmful practices
Harmful practices include:
- Forced, early or child marriage: where one or both people do not or cannot consent to the marriage, and pressure or abuse is used to force them into it. Child marriage is when anything is done to make someone marry before they turn 18
- Female genital mutilation (FGM): procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs, for non-medical reasons
- 'Honour'-based abuse: a form of domestic abuse motivated by a belief that a person has brought, or may bring, 'dishonour' or 'shame' on themselves, their family or community
- Spiritual or faith based abuse: abuse carried out in a religious context, including using religion to justify abuse or control someone, or preventing them from practising their faith
Other harmful practices include female infanticide, breast ironing, acid attacks, bride price and dowry-related violence, virginity testing and caste-based abuse.
About coercive control
Coercive control is often a key part of harmful practices and is used to control a victim's behaviour, relationships or sexuality.
Abuse may escalate if a victim is perceived to have brought 'shame' on their family or community, for example through an unapproved relationship, resisting a forced marriage or not following family or community expectations.