Love Jihad among Various Terms Used for Forced Marriage Against Hindus and Christians Leading to Human Trafficking: Transnational Organised Crime

Press Release (Bureau): In 2023, Crimeophobia’s team, led by its Founder and Criminologist Snehil Dhall, submitted a research report to the United Nations, urging strong consideration of Religious Conversions and Forced Marriages as significant forms of Organised Crime that contribute to Human Trafficking. This may be one of the reasons why Forced Marriages were added to the agenda for the 2024 Vienna Conference on the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC), alongside reports from many other subject experts. In various countries, these acts and patterns are also referred to as Sex Slavery, specifically for terrorist organisations, and have been observed in domestic locations too. Unfortunately, many of these acts are not criminalized, although several nations do recognize them as forms of Organised Crime. However, since women are allegedly shown as being married, the elements of marital rape are locally not considered a crime. The UN has now taken strong consideration of this issue as Transnational Organised Crime, especially with the rising number of victims.

Crimeophobia has also filed a separate case with the United Nations Human Rights Council concerning Love Jihad, currently targeting Hindus in Bangladesh, also referred to as gendercide (Gender-based Genocide). This pattern of forced marriages and religious conversions results in the brutal massacre of men due to political instability, while their wives, daughters, sisters, and even mothers are forced into marriage post-religious conversion.

The Conference (18th October 2024)

Forced marriages have evolved from being perceived solely as cultural issues to becoming part of broader, complex Transnational Organised Crime. Criminologist Snehil Dhall recently advocated for the recognition of Religious Conversions and Forced Marriages as Organised Crime during the final day of the UNTOC conference in Vienna. Mr. Dhall’s insights, particularly regarding the term Love Jihad, used in India, demonstrate how forced marriages are tied to human and sex trafficking, ideological extremism, and ethnic cleansing. This marks a pivotal moment in the global understanding of forced marriages, underscoring how these crimes transcend borders, affect vulnerable communities, and fuel political and ethnic tensions.

During the Vienna Conference on UNTOC, Criminologist Snehil Dhall introduced the term Love Jihad, used in India to describe alleged efforts by Muslim men to coerce Hindu and Christian women into marriage as part of a religious conversion agenda. Often dismissed as a domestic issue, this problem has broader implications, extending to ethnic and religious conflicts, such as those seen in past Kashmir conflicts and in present-day Bangladesh. He stated that the forced marriages in these areas are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic campaign aimed at targeting Hindu and Christian communities. His discussion highlighted that these forced marriages are not merely cultural phenomena but part of well-organized, transnational crimes, often driven by extremist ideologies or financial incentives, and involving human trafficking networks.

By categorizing forced marriages as Organised Crime, Mr. Dhall’s work is believed to be one of the factors that have led to their inclusion on the UNTOC agenda, initiating global dialogue on how to address this issue.

Global Terminologies and Regional Variations

The terminology used to describe forced marriages varies across different regions, reflecting cultural and political contexts. Mr. Dhall’s analysis shows that while forced marriages and religious conversions are a global issue, they manifest uniquely depending on the location. In conflict zones like Kashmir in the past and Bangladesh today, forced marriages are part of broader socio-political conflicts against Hindu communities in particular. Extremist groups use marriage as a tool to assert dominance over minority populations, especially targeting Hindus and Christians. In Bangladesh, increasing reports of forced conversions and marriages of women from minority religious groups further underscore the transnational and organized nature of this crime, although it is often seen as a domestic conflict in India.

In many cases, forced marriages are linked to human trafficking networks operating across borders. In regions like the Middle East and North Africa, forced marriages often involve trafficking victims married off to wealthy individuals or extremist fighters, such as ISIS. These marriages serve to consolidate power and control over minority populations, making forced marriage not merely a cultural issue but a strategic weapon in conflicts.

Terminologies and Patterns Across the World

Forced marriages are referred to by different names depending on the country, region, or cultural context, but they all share common themes of coercion, manipulation, and control. Some notable terms include:

- India – Love Jihad: In India, Love Jihad has been a source of tension, particularly among Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, and other non-Muslim communities. The term describes cases where Muslim men allegedly coerce or manipulate non-Muslim women into marriage for the purpose of religious conversion. Love Jihad is not recognized as Organised Crime or even as a crime in many places.

- Middle East and North Africa – Tahriq al-Zawaj: In parts of the Middle East and North Africa, forced marriage, often referred to as Tahriq al-Zawaj or "marriage by coercion," is linked to human trafficking. Victims are trafficked into conflict zones where extremist groups, such as ISIS, force them into marriage with fighters. This practice consolidates control over women and minority groups.

- Sub-Saharan Africa – Wife Inheritance: In Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria and Kenya, Wife Inheritance is a form of forced marriage where a widow is compelled to marry a relative of her deceased husband. This practice is often tied to control over women’s property and inheritance rights, forming part of broader exploitation.

- Western Nations – Grooming for Marriage: In Western countries, including the UK, forced marriages often take the form of grooming, where vulnerable young women are manipulated into marriage. These cases are frequently tied to human trafficking networks, with marriage used as a way to exert control over victims. Governments in the West are starting to address these crimes under anti-human trafficking laws.

International Response and the Future of Combating Forced Marriages

The inclusion of Forced Marriages as an agenda item at the UNTOC Conference has already sparked global dialogue, with many experts calling for immediate action. Mr. Dhall’s work lays the foundation for future efforts to protect vulnerable communities from forced marriages, ensuring that this crime is no longer seen merely as a cultural or religious issue, but as part of a broader Organised Criminal Enterprise. His work has been instrumental in reframing this issue, highlighting how forced marriages are used as tools for control, financial gain, and political leverage, often involving human trafficking and ethnic cleansing. His efforts to bring this issue to the forefront of international discussions mark a crucial turning point in how the world understands and addresses forced marriages.

As the international community continues to confront this growing crime, Mr. Dhall’s work provides a roadmap for future efforts to eradicate forced marriages and protect the rights of vulnerable individuals worldwide.