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← Housing help FORCED MARRIAGE & FAMILY ABUSE

If family pressure or forced marriage is making you unsafe, confidential help exists.

Threats, pressure, control, being told you are bringing shame on a family, being forced to marry or being taken somewhere against your wishes can be abuse. You can ask for help without first confronting the people involved.

Get help from Karma Nirvana Forced Marriage Unit
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1
Use a safe way to seek advice

If family members monitor your phone, browser, email or location, use a device or account they cannot access if that is possible. Do not make a safety plan visible to someone who may harm you.

2
Do not feel you have to confront anyone first

A specialist adviser can help you understand your choices before family members know you are considering leaving or seeking protection.

3
Say if travel is being planned

If you think you may be taken abroad for a marriage or against your wishes, tell a specialist service or the Forced Marriage Unit as early as you safely can.

SPECIALIST SUPPORT

Organisations that understand this situation

These links go directly to specialist or official services. Their availability, coverage and eligibility can change, so use the latest information on their own websites.

Honour-based abuse

Karma Nirvana

Free and confidential UK support for people affected by honour-based abuse, forced marriage, family threats or pressure.

Get support UK government support

Forced Marriage Unit

Official advice and practical help if you are at risk of forced marriage, already in one or worried about being taken abroad.

Get support Domestic abuse support

Refuge

Specialist domestic-abuse support, including safety planning and access to refuge accommodation.

Get support LGBTQ+ abuse support

Galop

Specialist support if family or community abuse is connected to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Get support
OTHER SUPPORT

You can use more than one route to help

Housing problems often overlap with family, safety, identity, money and pet issues. These Paw Keys support pages are designed to connect rather than compete.

All housing help →
Domestic abuse & housing

If a partner, ex-partner or family member is making home unsafe.

→ LGBTQ+ housing & safety

If rejection, hostility or abuse is putting your housing at risk.

→ Young people & housing

If you have been asked to leave, are sofa surfing or have nowhere stable.

→
IF IT IS ALL GETTING TOO MUCH

You can talk to someone as well.

Samaritans are available day or night if you need a confidential conversation about whatever you are dealing with. You do not have to be at a particular point of crisis to contact them.

Samaritans116 123Free to call
Contact Samaritans

Information checked August 2026. Paw Keys is not an emergency, domestic-abuse, safeguarding or homelessness service. We link to independent specialist organisations and official services; always check their latest information, coverage and eligibility.