A father has been jailed after he tried to marry his teenage children without their consent.
On Friday, the 51-year-old was sentenced to three years and four months in prison at the Downing Center District Court in Sydney for attempting to organize separate forced marriages for 15- and 17-year-old children.
Police said the siblings immigrated to Australia with their father in 2021 and soon discovered their father was “actively” trying to organize their respective weddings, “against their wishes.”
The siblings weren’t sure who they would marry or even when the weddings would take place. Police said they are now being supported by an organization that works with children and young people affected by forced marriage.
After their escape, Australian Federal Police officers searched the father’s home and seized cellphones showing attempts to arrange the weddings, “including messages about planning the weddings.”
AFP Sergeant Chantal Pravaz said the prosecution would not have been possible without the courage of the victims to come forward.
“The victims placed their trust in the AFP and their openness helped our investigation,” she said.
AFP Commander Kate Ferry said that while the crime is often under-reported, Australia is not immune to human trafficking.
Australian Federal Police Commander Kate Ferry said Australia is not immune to human trafficking
“There are generally two types of forced marriages,” she said.
‘First, unwilling participants are threatened, deceived or coerced into marriage. The other is where a person cannot legally consent to marriage due to their age.
‘This type of crime usually involves perpetrators offending younger, more vulnerable family members.’
The family migrated to Australia in 2021 and the siblings, aged 15 and 17, soon discovered that their father was trying to arrange their marriage against their wishes (stock image)
Although only a small number of people often report human trafficking, AFP data shows that this number is increasing.
In the past financial year, AFP received 382 reports of human trafficking, 91 of which related to allegations of forced marriage.
For comparison: they received 340 reports the year before.
It is the second case to successfully prosecute a forced marriage charge, after a Victorian court found mother Sakina Muhammad Jan, 48, guilty in July.