This article examines the British media’s construction of forced marriage (FM) as an urgent social problem in a context where other forms of violence against women are not similarly problematized. A detailed analysis of four British newspapers over a 10-year period demonstrates that media reporting of FM constitutes a moral panic in that it is constructed as a cultural problem that threatens Britain’s social order rather than as a specific form of violence against women. Thus, the current problematization of FM restricts discursive spaces for policy debates and hinders attempts to respond to this problem as part of broader efforts to tackle violence against women. © 2015, © The Author(s) 2015.

moral panic forced marriage Immigration policy Violence against women Problematization

morality Spouses human Women's Rights Social Problems statistics and numerical data Coercion Great Britain persuasive communication Morals Spouse Abuse marriage Young Adult Humans psychology social media male spouse female social problem prevention and control partner violence adult United Kingdom