Ranjit was 16 when she discovered that her parents were planning to take her to India to marry a much older man. Terrified, she confided in her teacher who contacted a group that helps victims of forced marriages.

Taking her courage in both hands, Ranjit (not her real name) went into hiding. Her Sikh family tracked her down and kidnapped her, forcing her to call the police when they got her home to say that it was all a mistake. But staff at Karma Nirvana, a Derby-based support group, had already given the police warning what might happen so officers went to the family home and rescued her.

Ranjit’s mother and a male cousin were charged with kidnap and remanded in custody. When they came to trial, they pleaded guilty so that Ranjit, who was on witness protection, did not give evidence.

Jasvinder Sanghera, the director of Karma Nirvana, says what happened next is an “extremely worrying” indication that the complexities of forced marriage are still not understood. “The judge stated that he did not believe the kidnapping was intended to force her to marry. He said that if he had, the defendants would have received prison sentences. Instead, he sentenced them to two years suspended. He ordered them not to make any contact with Ranjit. She felt that she had not received justice and she remains in hiding.”

For Sanghera, the sentence indicates the extent of training needed if the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007, which comes into force in September, is to be effective.

A series of shocking cases of young women raped and murdered in “honour killings” have prompted a flurry of activity by the authorities. Several police officers were criticised for failing to help Banaz Mahmod, who was murdered by Kurdish assassins on the orders of her father and uncle for leaving an arranged marriage and falling in love with a man they deemed unsuitable. They were both jailed for life last year.

The Association of Chief Police Officers is drawing up a national strategy for dealing with forced marriages and “honour”-based violence. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been running pilot schemes in West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Lancashire and four London boroughs, flagging up every case that might involve “honour”-based violence to help to draw up good practice guidelines.

The Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, meanwhile, has been looking into the issues as part of its domestic violence inquiry and will report tomorrow. It heard evidence that hundreds of children missing from school rolls could be at risk of forced marriage.

Two years ago the Government decided against introducing a specific criminal offence of forced marriage. Instead, it backed a Private Member’s Bill leading to new civil procedures, underpinned by statutory guidance on how agencies should respond to these cases. The new Act will enable courts to make forced marriage protection orders to prevent it happening or to protect a victim if it has already taken place. Injunctions can be tailored to the needs of the victim, with powers of arrest attached where violence is threatened or used. Third parties can apply for an injunction on behalf of those who are too frightened to do it themselves.

Sanghera, however, believes that a specific criminal offence is vital to get the message across to communities that forced marriages and “honour”- based violence are unacceptable. “Victims are conditioned to believe it is part of life.”

Nazir Afzal, the director of CPS London West, says that there is already sufficient legislation to deal with these cases. The CPS is also working with coroners to identify cases where women may have been driven to suicide, while the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 has enabled it to prosecute family members who collude in the violence.

In the first case to use those powers this year, it successfully prosecuted the mother-in-law, two sisters-in-law and brother-in-law of Sabia Rani, who was beaten to death by her husband in Leeds, for letting it happen.

Afzal says that judges are becoming more aware of the issues involved. “Six years ago, when Heshu Yones was murdered by her father, the judge sentenced him to life but set the tariff at 12 years because he had been ‘provoked’. The issue of “honour” was seen as a mitigating factor. Now, judges say that this is a leading abuse of trust and it is considered an aggravating factor and 28-year tariffs are being issued.”

One difficulty is establishing the extent of the problem. The Forced Marriage Unit deals with 300 cases of forced marriage a year, 15 per cent involving men. About 90 per cent involve families of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin. Around a third involve children. One of its most notable successes was rescuing an 11-year-old British-Bengali girl from marriage last year.

Karma Nirvana is running the first dedicated helpline for victims (0800 5999247) staffed by survivors. In its first two weeks, it received 128 calls.

Margaret Moran, the Labour MP for Luton South, chairs the all-party group on domestic violence and is pressing for an online support network for victims and accredited training. She says that it is important “not to underestimate the backlash” in some communities against those trying to change perceptions.

Sanghera says the problem is also “blighted” by political correctness, demonstrated by some schools refusing to put up posters about forced marriages in case they offended parents.

She wants better protection for victims. “Families will go to great lengths to track their daughters or sons down because the only way they can ‘reclaim’ their “honour” is by killing or punishing them. The witness protection scheme is designed for those giving evidence in court. We need a scheme to give victims new identities so that they can live safely.”

Disowned by her family when she ran away at 15 before an arranged marriage, Sanghera’s older sister chose suicide rather than leave her abusive marriage. The poster campaign for the helpline features survivors prepared to speak out. “We call it the Honour Network because we want to reclaim the word honour in its true and not its twisted meaning.”

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