In Kyrgyzstan they call it "ala kachuu". Loosely translated it means: grab a woman and run away.

It's an ancient form of bride kidnapping said to have its roots in nomadic custom. It was outlawed under Soviet rule but it's back in a big way: men drive around looking for women to kidnap and force into marriage and the authorities don't do much to stop it.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton oversees a policy of strict controls on Australia's borders, but imagine a world where people were able to move freely to find work or make better lives for themselves. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Sometimes it's consensual – an elaborate ritual – but usually not. It can involve rape and other forms of violence. Local civil society groups say thousands of women are forced into sexual and domestic servitude this way every year and the problem's only getting worse.

Indeed, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warns travellers about it in its Kyrgyzstan travel advice.