Forced Marriage Consultations in Germany Reach Record High

Consultation calls regarding forced marriage in Germany reached a new peak in 2025, according to official data from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. The national helpline "Violence against Women" recorded 231 consultation cases on the subject last year, more than double the number registered a decade ago. The figures were released in a formal response to a parliamentary inquiry submitted by AfD member of parliament Martin Reichardt.

Data provided by Parliamentary State Secretary Mareike Lotte Wulf (CDU) shows a steady rise in consultations over the past decade. In 2013, the helpline logged 88 inquiries concerning forced marriages, followed by 80 in 2014 and 82 in 2015. Numbers increased significantly in 2016 to 132 calls, rising to 174 in 2017 and exceeding 200 annually from 2018 onward. For the current year 2026, the helpline has recorded 174 consultations to date.

The national helpline, operated by the Federal Office for Family and Civil Society Tasks under the telephone number 116 016, offers anonymous, free support in multiple languages for victims, relatives, and professionals. Its scope includes cases of both forced marriage and child marriage. Government authorities noted that the helpline statistics capture only a fraction of total cases, as many affected individuals contact local advice centers, youth welfare offices, or receive no formal support.

The rise in helpline inquiries coincides with ongoing law enforcement proceedings across Germany. Investigative procedures related to suspected forced marriage remained at record high levels in 2025, with the youngest recorded victim aged twelve. Regional authorities in Baden-Württemberg reported hundreds of registered child marriages, of which only a small fraction have been legally annulled. Recent judicial proceedings, including a trial involving child brides in Essen, have further drawn attention to the application of criminal law in such cases.

To assess the overall extent of the issue nationwide, the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) is preparing a scientific study titled "How many forced marriages are there in Germany?". In response to a further inquiry from Reichardt regarding the peer-review process, Parliamentary State Secretary Michael Brand (CDU) stated that the family ministry had no knowledge of which peer-reviewed journal or independent experts had been selected to evaluate the research, as the selection remains the sole responsibility of the institute.

Written by Freya Stensrud freya.stensrud@alpineweekly.com