Emergency Information – If You Fear Being Taken Abroad for a Forced Marriage

If you fear you may be taken abroad and forced to marry:

Try to find a way to keep from going. Ask for assistance from a trusted adult such as a teacher, social worker, or other professional. Impress upon them the importance of not talking to anyone in your family about this.
If you cannot find a way to keep from going:
- Register online with the Canadian government at:
  http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration
  The information you provide here will be kept confidential.
- Make two sets of photocopied documents
  - one to take with you and keep hidden
  - one to leave with a trusted adult (teacher, social worker, friend or parent of friend)
  These documents should include photocopies of:
  - Passport
  - Driver’s Licence
  - Birth Certificate
  - Flight details (Airline, Flight number, dates and times of departure and return)
  - Prescriptions for any important medications
- Leave with a Trusted Adult – in addition to the above documents:
  - A recent picture of yourself
  - Overseas contact information:
    Names of people you will be staying with and your relationship to them
    Address of place where you will be staying
  - Names and contact details of people you will be traveling with
- Take with you and Keep Hidden:
  - Currency of the destination country
  - Cell phone for texting internationally (keep sound and vibration turned off)
  - Copy of above listed documents
  - List of resources and organizations in Canada that can help
  - List of resources and organizations in the destination country
  Places to conceal documents and phone:
  - Hidden within suitcase lining
  - Hidden within purse lining
  - Important numbers can be printed small, folded and taped to the back of a
    pendant or watch, or inside a shoe or boot (hide in more than one place)
- Memorize Global Affairs Phone Number:
  613-996-8885 (call collect outside of Canada)
If you cannot escape before getting to the airport, place a metal spoon in your underpants. This will set off an alarm when you attempt to go through security. Agents will take you to a private room because of the location of the metal object. Once you are there, inform them of your situation.