Marking EU Anti-Trafficking Day 2025, HopeNow is drawing attention to the critical issue of forced marriage as a form of human trafficking.
As part of their awareness efforts, HopeNow has published a case study on the exploitation of forced marriage. It on the complexity and transnational dimension of forced marriage, highlighting the story of Amirah, a young woman from Somalia whose experiences reveal how coercion, deception, and abuse can intertwine across borders.
Amirah’s story illustrates how family pressure, financial vulnerability, and organised criminal networks can lead to multiple layers of exploitation: from forced marriage and domestic servitude to trafficking for sexual or labour exploitation.
Through this initiative, HopeNow calls for greater recognition and protection of persons affected by forced marriage and urges authorities to develop targeted responses to identify and assist victims of this under-recognised form of trafficking.