• Dental surgeries with facial injuries consistent with domestic abuse.
• Mental health services, counselling services, school nurses, health visitors, A&E, GP with depression and self-harming behaviour (including anorexia, cutting, substance misuse or attempted suicide) as a result of forced Marriage
• Family planning clinics and GP for advice on contraception or termination
• Maternity services if pregnant
• Health services can create an ‘open’ and supportive environment by:
• oDisplaying relevant information e.g. National Domestic Violence Helpline, NSPCC, Child Line and appropriate black and minority ethnic women's groups (see appendix : useful contacts)
• oCirculating and displaying copies of the Forced Marriage Unit's leaflet on forced marriage
• oEducating health professionals on issue of forced marriage.

Some health professionals have more opportunities, or are able to create opportunities, to see a woman on their own. If there are concerns that forced marriage is an issue, the health professional might ask questions about family life and whether the woman faces restrictions at home.

There are all sorts of questions a health professional could ask to establish whether a woman is trapped in a forced marriage which include:

• How are things at home?
• Do you get out much?
• Can you choose what you want to do and when you want to do it such as seeing friends, working or maybe studying?
• Do you have friends and family locally who can provide support?
• Is your family supportive?

If a health professional does elicit information that suggests a woman is facing a forced marriage, they should use careful questioning to establish the full facts and decide on the level of response required. Health professionals should be mindful if a disclosure is made that this may be the one and only chance of helping the patient. Health professionals may be able to offer advice and provide them with information about specialist advice and information services, or assist women by referring them onto police, social care services, support groups, counselling services and black and minority ethnic women's groups.

However, there may be occasions when the level of concern, or the imminence of the marriage, is such that it becomes a child or adult safeguarding issue and appropriate procedures must be followed. This includes referral to Children's or Adult Social Care and the Police.

Within each organisation there should be a named person with the lead for supporting staff around forced marriage issues who can also support contact with the Forced Marriage Unit (a joint Home Office/Foreign and Commonwealth Office Unit). Accurate records must be maintained at all times documenting what has been said and done.

Role of the Forced Marriage Unit

The FMU is a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office venture. It