Row over forced marriages

THE WOMAN who is heading a new government-appointed working party to tackle forced marriages within the Asian community said last night that she "did not consider it a major problem".

Bangladeshi-born Baroness Uddin accused the media of sensationalising the issue and said that Asian women's groups were concerned that they were being unfairly stereotyped.

The women'ssupport group Southall Black Sisters responded by saying it was a "very common problem" which was largely ignored by the police and social services, who regard it as a cultural practice.