How many forced marriages exist in Germany?

Integration Department

Project head: Dr. Jörg Dollmann ,  Dr. Niklas Harder ,  Dr. Jannes Jacobsen

Project team members: Bahar Cati ,  Alexandra Orlova

Forced marriages are repeatedly discussed in the public debate in the context of migration and integration. With the Act to Combat Forced Marriage and to Improve the Protection of Victims of Forced Marriage (Gesetz zur Bekämpfung der Zwangsheirat und zum besseren Schutz der Opfer von Zwangsheirat), the German government set an example against forced marriages as early as 2011 and facilitated prosecution through § 237 of the Criminal Code (StGB). Despite the legal regulation and public debates, however, little is known about how widespread forced marriages are in Germany and who is affected by them. This is partly due to the difficulty of accessing those affected, but also to the lack of a generally accepted definition.

In recent years, DeZIM has specialized in surveying small groups that are difficult to define. DeZIM's online access panel (DeZIM.panel) now also makes it possible to measure the size of particularly small populations through newer methodological procedures (network scale-up method). This project approaches the complex of forced marriages scientifically by developing a definition of the phenomenon and then attempting to estimate the number of people who fall under this definition in Germany. This will provide an important empirical basis for further research on forced marriages.

Funding: Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Institutional funding)