On Thursday afternoon, 19-year-old Fatima* secretly met with her case worker, Betul Tuna, about her plan to run away from her Shepparton home. But unlike most social workers in this situation, Tuna is helping her do it.

Fatima is one of thousands of young women - and men - forced into engagements and marriages by their families. Since 2013, when it became criminal, the Australian Federal Police has received 232 referrals relating to forced marriages. Fifty-two of those people went on to receive government help. No one has ever been convicted under the relevant federal laws.

Part of the problem is the requirement for victims to co-operate with a police investigation, which usually means sounding the alarm on their own parents. "A lot of the time, young people are really fearful of getting their family in trouble," says Tuna.

Betul Tuna, community worker who works with young women at risk of forced marriage. Credit:Laura Briggs

The federal Labor Party will on Friday unveil a new policy on forced marriage that will make two significant changes to the way the crime is managed. It will introduce civil protection orders for all victims, no matter their age, which will allow courts to intervene on behalf of adults at risk.