A Conservative government would consider making forced marriages a criminal offence in Britain, party leader David Cameron will announce today.
Mr Cameron will denounce the practice whereby hundreds of schoolgirls, as well as a minority of boys, are forced into marrying someone they do not want to as "bizarre and unacceptable".
He will commit a future Conservative government to a series of measures to tackle the problem - include a requirement that both would-be brides and grooms coming to Britain to get married and their partners in the United Kingdom are at least 21.
British nationals going abroad to marry would have to register in Britain beforehand if they want their marriage to be recognised for immigration purposes.
The announcement coincides with a visit by Mr Cameron to Bradford where he is holding a meeting of the shadow cabinet as well as meeting campaigners and victims of forced marriages.
While some 300 cases are reported to the British government's Forced Marriage Unit each year, Mr Cameron will say that the true figure is likely to be "well into the thousands".
The Tory leader will, however, stress that he is not referring to the practice of arranged marriages which often result in long and happy unions.
"Forced marriages, on the other hand, are the practice where girls - some as young as 11 - are bullied, psychologically pressured, assaulted, sometimes kidnapped and taken abroad, and forced to marry someone they don't want to," he will say.
PA