London (CNN) British women sent overseas by their families for forced marriages are being asked by the UK Foreign Office to pay back their rescue costs, according to an investigation by the UK's Times newspaper.

Victims are in some cases being forced to pay back hundreds of pounds for airfares, food and shelter, in a move criticized by politicians and rights groups.

The Foreign Office said in a statement to CNN that as the rescue costs were from "public funds" it had an "obligation to recover the money in due course."

In 2017, the Foreign Office helped 27 victims of forced marriages return to the UK, and 55 victims in 2016, according to figures obtained by the Times in a Freedom of Information request.

The report added that over the past two years, the Foreign Office has lent £7,765 ($9,900) to at least eight victims.

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