This is long overdue, hopefully some of the poor girls will now have a future to look FORWARD to.

Sharnie, Birmingham, England

There is a difference between being considerate of people and letting them use that consideration as a leverage against one. No family - Islamic, Hindu, Christian, Sikh or otherwise- may be permitted to subvert the hard-won human rights in Britain. Isn't is horrendous that ones 'beloved parents' become monsters - and those that the daughters relied on for love and protection become slave masters - including brothers and uncles! As for outdated rituals - exactly whom are Muslim women covering up from? Here they point at foreign men - and what of countries that are predominantly Muslim?? Muslim men? Those same men who pray 5 times a day to Allah? Who call Him compassionate - cannot be trusted to treat women of another's family decently? Have Muslim men asked themselves the question? One of my grandfathers was Muslim - a wonderful, gentle man I hear but whom i never got to know well, sadly, because of the Partition of India / Pakistan. No, am not anti-Islam just anti deceit.

Shena, Northants,

I taught in Bradford 25 years ago when Asian pupils were a minority and all they wanted was to be like their English peers. Few of their mothers spoke English, most of whom stayed at home during parents' evenings. It was clear even then that the pupils were torn between family loyalties and their quest for a British way of life. The Liberal left (mostly white) should stop being so PC in assuming Asian and Black pupils want to keep (or even know about) to their parents' cultural roots. We should all give the new generation space to breathe the air of democracy and fairness that has been fought for over generations, and is the British heritage.

sk, East Sussex,

I would like to add that the marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was not exactly a love marriage. Charles needed an heir and a woman with no history was sought., this was in many ways an arranged marriage. It was tought on Diane.

Asad Qureshi, Islamabad, Pakistan

At the same time, the government is condoning polygamy by giving benefits to secondary wives' husbands. It would be laughable if it weren't for the poor girls' suffering. Stop polygamy and forced marriages because they downgrade women to chattels.

Carolyn, Surbiton,

Jack is 100% correct!

In the past (hundred of years ago) things like that also happened here as well - people dressed conseravtively, daughters weren't allowed to work/vote/earn a living and treated like possessions, married off to a rich family etc

But we evolved. We learnt and we improved ourselves.
Lets not go backwards. We should be righly proud that we have already exited the dark ages and there is no need to revisit this.

Its not anti-muslim, its simply anti-backwardness.

Tommy, Chiswick, London

This is not a muslim issue, its a south asian issue in general. Hindus and sikhs have forced marriages as well as muslims and i know of 2 asian christian girls facing the same fate. This practice is totally against the laws of islam. Its a backward tradition dating years ago. The 1st generation south asians have brought it over with them. They are the main suspects here. Youngsters want to integrate, buts its they're fathers who dont want it, cos they dont want the children to drink, go clubbing, womanising and just be the normal lazy teenagers of today. Thats the root of the problem.

Faz, London,

In 1992 I made a film for Channel Four called "The Bounty Hunter" which highlighted this problem. At the time there was a big fuss and the issue was even discussed in Parliament. However I am sorry to say that "copycat bounty hunters" came into being but no lessons were learnt. This issue is not to be confused with religion ie Islam it is more about culture. It goes on in India which is predominantly Hindu.

Asad Qureshi, Islamabad, Pakistan

Surely the above story has horrible echoes of a previous passage in British history. More than fifty years ago Bramwell Booth, who went on to follow his father as The General of the Salvation Army and the Editer of the London Gazzette (I think?) 'purchased' some young girls in a pioneering effort to raise the age of consent. Although they were imprisoned for their brave actions the law conserning marriage consent was reformed. Are we going backwards? Can others provide additional elucidation please?

Graham G. Mills, Mianyang, China.

Graham G. Mills, Mianyang, Sichuan, CHINA

Surely the above story has horrible echoes of a previous dark chapter in British history. More than fifty years ago Bramwell Booth who followed his father to become General of the Salvation Army and the Editer of the London Gazzette (I think?) 'purchase' some young girls in a brave and pioneering attemt to reform the laws of marriage consent. Although imprisoned for their brave actions the laws concerning marriage consent were reformed. Are we going backwards?
Can others elucidate please?

Graham G. Mills, Mianyang, Sichuan, CHINA

In 1992 I made a documentary film for Channel Four called "The Bounty Hunter". At the time there was a lot of talk about this subject and it was even discussed in Parliament. However it seems that no lessons have been learnt and nothing much has been done about it.

Asad Qureshi, Islamabad, Pakistan

jack: no, it's not just a muslim thing. while i agree with the gist of your post you let yourself down by making your badly veiled anti-muslim rant.

forget fears of culturally backward families crying 'racism'. they know what they are doing is wrong and will play the racism card to get people with a genuine concern for these girls (something the families obviously don't have) to back off. i still remember hearing of school friends 15 years ago being forced into marriages and i'm sure they would have wanted someone to take a stand for them. this action is long overdue.

bushra, bradford, UK

I taught in Tower Hamlets College and during the 1990's it was known amongst teaching staff that a large number of Bangladshi females in Art and Design courses never finished the academic year, they just vanished because they had been "sent back home" to arranged marriages.

Young women brought up in London's East End, studying at THC had nothing in common with some village in the province of Sileth, yet they were sent there, often against their wishes.

This tradition does not belong to this era, it is imported form another time and place and is meant to keep women in fear of their own family members and subjugated under a form of slavery.

It is deeply worrying that this represive practice is allowed to continue in Britain.

desantis, London, UK

The ONLY way to deal with these tribal groups is to make them accept the culture of the host nation (a bit like the Aussies do), they will then gradually adapt and become more acceptable or go home - its simple. And if the governmant was more direct and didactic with these groups the more ordinary peoples' confidence and spirits would be uplifted.

I live in East London and we call it the caliphate just because of the numbers of hardline muslims - these people really do mean business and we all better wake up. Banning the veil would be a good start - like Turkey did years ago.

Thomas, Romford,

The benefits system here in the UK is among the most generous in the world. Where else can you have multiple children (in some cases, four, five, six or even seven) and get money from the state to look after them? Not to mention help with rent and council tax.

They produce more kids and they send over to their contries of origin to bring in brides for the men. This starts the whole cycle over again.

At the same time indigenous people are having less kids/smaller families and are emigrating, taking skills and taxable wages.

The European Union, local councils and central government are bending over backwards in their assistance in the 'assimilation programme'

See the pattern?

Bill, London,

When in Rome, do as Romans do, as the saying goes.

I'm all for racial diversity, but when a very specific geographical group (and let's not fool around, South Asians have been doing this since settling here) refuses to follow what must seem like the most basic of laws and customs here, you do wonder if the investment in integration and other services is worth it.

For know they seem to be enjoying the economic and welfare care advantages Britain has to offer, whilst refraining to adapt in any way to being British.

Jeff, Manchester,

Thank you Jack, for pointing out what everyone knows is true and is happening before our very eyes. Why does the Government tip-toe around these people???!!! It beggars belief.

Sonya, Purley, Surrey

Raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 - for everyone.

Any parent with a child (usually daughter) who disappears from the school role should be prosecuted for their child's absenteeism. If the child is not produced and returned to school the parents should be charged with kidnap.

Donna Walker, Effingham, Surrey

We should all be ashamed. For too long our country has tippy-toed around these issues as being culturally sensitive.

There are so many people from many countries around the world living in the UK - yet only one keeps coming up with the goods of wanting to be separate from the norm.

It’s the same culture that brings us marrying cousins to produce deformed children, head-to-toe black ghost-like smocks to keep them apart from the rest of society. Forced teenage marriage is just another one on the list.

And no, it isn’t referred to as “South-Asian”.
That’s quite patronising and an insult to the Indians that have no part in these acts.

Please - stop - think - where is this country heading?

It is time to take control.
It is time to cease the abhorrent primitive behaviour from a primitive culture.
It is time to force these lowly educated people out of the dark ages.
It is time to say no more.

Jack Chad, READING, BERKSHIRE