Last week saw the coming together of a number of different agencies to tackle ‘honour’-based abuse. But what is it and why has it been kept silent so long?
Honour-based abuse is a crime or incident committed to protect or defend the ‘honour’ of a family or community. In the year ending March 2024, there were 2,755 HBA-related offences recorded by the police in England and Wales.
If your family or community think you’ve shamed or embarrassed them by behaving in a certain way, they may punish you for breaking their ‘honour’ code.
Something as simple as talking to certain people, wearing clothes your family or community think are inappropriate or even access to higher education can and has led to honour based abuse in the UK.
People who carry out honour-based abuse are often close family members but can also be extended family or community members.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and Home Office united to break the silence and increase awareness at the first ‘honour’-based abuse conference in Birmingham last week.
Jess Phillips MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls joined representatives from the CPS, NPCC and third sector organisations to highlight the necessity of multi-agency collaboration to identify and drive improvements to deliver justice for victims of ‘honour’-based abuse.
Types of honour-based abuse
There isn’t one specific crime of honour-based abuse. It can involve a range of crimes and behaviours, such as:
- forced marriage
- domestic abuse (physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial)
- sexual harassment and sexual violence (rape and sexual assault or the threat of)
- threats to kill, physical and emotional violence and murder
- pressure to go or move abroad
- being kept at home with no freedom
- not allowed to use the telephone, internet, or have access to important documents like your passport or birth certificate
- isolation from friends and members of your own family
Jaswant Narwal, Chief Crown Prosecutor and National Honour-Based Abuse lead for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Being the victim of abuse, violence or sexual assault is undoubtedly a harrowing experience, and when this abuse is ‘honour-based’, the challenges can often feel impossible to overcome.
“Our people are determined to see offenders brought to justice and will not hesitate to prosecute for these awful crimes when the legal requirements are met.
“This conference highlighted the cross-system action needed to deliver justice for more victims and encourage them to come forward against their abusers.”
If you’re concerned about someone in your community being abused, here are some warning signs to look out for:
- acting withdrawn or upset
- bruising or other unexplained physical injury
- depression, self-harming or attempted suicide
- unexplained absence or poor performance at school or work
- their movements at home are strictly controlled
- family rows, domestic violence
- running away from home
- a family history of relatives going missing.
Remember we are here to help you or someone you may know navigate away from abuse. Call us FREE on 0151 494 2222 for a confidential chat. Always call 999 in an emergency or the 24 hour domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Other honour based abuse UK charities and support groups can be found here.