Journal article published on forced marriage in Finland

The article is entitled Forced marriage in Finland: A continuum from honour-based violence to human trafficking and it has been written using expert interview data from the CERV-funded EASY-project. 

Forced marriage is a globally under-reported crime, widely recognized as a violation of human rights and a form of gender-based and honour-based violence. It is also closely linked to human trafficking. In Finland, forced marriage is not criminalised as a separate offence but is primarily conceptualized as a form of human trafficking. Given the limited research on forced marriage in Finland, the article deliberately focuses on describing the phenomenon and its manifestations. 

Using the concept of the continuum of violence, the article examines how professionals in Finland navigate forced marriage cases along the continuum from honour-based violence to human trafficking. Based on a thematic analysis of semi-structured expert interviews, the study explores how professionals identify and interpret gendered and honour-based violence in the context of forced marriage and trafficking, and how they operationalise this understanding in practice. 

The article highlights the multi-dimensional continuum of abuse, exploitation, and control experienced by victims. Particular attention is paid to how professionals identify, and address forced marriage through victim support and criminal justice systems.

You can contact Anniina Jokinen via anniina.jokinen@om.fi