An MP has called for the Government to look again at whether forced marriage should be made a criminal offence if cases continue to rise in the next year.

Keighley and Ilkley MP Ann Cryer has spent ten years raising awareness of the problems surrounding forced marriage.

The Labour MP, who is retiring at the next election, had lobbied for the law which saw the age someone can come into the UK to marry raised from 18 to 21 and was at the centre of Forced Marriage Protection Orders which offer protective measures if a forced marriage has already taken place.

Latest figures show since the orders were introduced in November 2008, 117 had been taken out, including on a girl aged eight.

Mrs Cryer said if figures were still rising in 18 months, the Government must look at making it a criminal offence.

She said: “The forced marriage orders have only been in place for 18 months and already more than 100 orders have been served, saving these women from the severe trauma, humiliation and rape involved in this inhuman activity.

“I know many victims would be unwilling to report the offence if it were regarded as a criminal act dealt with through the criminal justice system but if the numbers continue to increase Government should in 18 months’ time consider introducing a criminal offence.

"We have to give the orders time as they have not been introduced very long but if the Forced Marriage Unit are finding they are getting more and more cases then we will have to look again at the criminal case.”