We were delighted to be invited by the School of Law to deliver a talk to students at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London this week.

The seminar looked at the 2014 legislation criminalising forced marriage, the barriers faced by victims to come forward and how this relates to other harmful practices.

Year 3 students of the Law and Multiculturalism and Rights course explored the effectiveness of legislation and heard from guest speakers representing the police and women’s groups to not only recognise the challenges in securing convictions but also gain insight into the long-term effects on victims and survivors.

Dr Samia Bano says:

“It is imperative for our students to understand the theory of the law, see how it is applied in society and to really question its impact within a cultural context

“It was a pleasure to invite Polly Harrar and her colleagues to take this class, the students have gained a unique and authentic insight into how the VAWG agenda and the law affects BME communities.

“The Sharan Project provide an invaluable opportunity for students to better understand the relationship between law and lived experience and student feedback was excellent. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with The Sharan Project again in the near future”

Polly Harrar says:

“We were delighted to be back at SOAS together with our partners to raise awareness of such an important topic that sadly affects so many vulnerable members of society.

“Education is key to inspiring and engaging young people on the impact of engendered issues and we hope this can make a lasting impact on their outlook and futures.”

If you or someone you know is or has been affected by any of these issues, get in touch with us at info@sharan.org.uk. In an emergency call the Police on 999 or 101 for non-urgent calls.