英国研究人员日前公布的一份报告显示，英国每年至少有3000名年轻女性被迫结婚，其中多数集中在少数族裔社区。

Several thousand more British women than previously thought could have been forced into marriage, according to a report yesterday.

Government figures showing that several hundred women, from different backgrounds all over the country, have been forced to marry represent just the "tip of the iceberg", said the report from a parliamentary specialist adviser.

Nazia Khanum's study, commissioned by Margaret Moran, a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, focused on Luton, north of London, and found there had been about 300 forced marriages in that area alone.

But it said the real figure could be closer to 4,000 because of the culture of secrecy and fear in some communities.

"Forced marriage is a serious problem," the report said.

"The government's Forced Marriage Unit deals with 250-300 cases per year. These are the most difficult cases, representing the tip of the iceberg. Many more - perhaps several thousand - are not reported."

It found there was a wall of silence surrounding the issue, which meant some authorities did not understand the problem or take it seriously.

"Forced marriage should be recognized as a form of bullying and domestic abuse and tackled in accordance with the normal professional standards and guidance for such cases," it added.

The Home Affairs Committee is currently investigating forced marriages, where victims often do not know their "husband's" identity and have no rights once they marry.

Yesterday's report came a week after children's minister Kevin Brennan told the committee 33 children had vanished from school records in Bradford, perhaps having been taken abroad to marry against their will.

(China Daily/Agencies)

Vocabulary:

forced marriage: 被逼成婚

House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee: 英国议会下议院内政事务特别委员会

(英语点津Celene编辑)