Honour based abuse: perspectives and challenges
Imran Khodabocus looks at some of the common misconceptions that surround honour based abuse and discusses why a legal definition is long overdue.
Recent figures gathered from police forces across the UK show that honour based abuse offences are on the rise. In just seven years, there has been a 193% increase whilst cases rose from 1,599 in 2020 to 2,594 in 2022, a 62 per cent rise. This is clearly an issue that is not going away.
But just what constitutes honour based abuse?
Common misconceptions
Many still believe that honour based abuse refers to forced marriages in specific cultures. But it has many manifestations, including:
- Threats of violence
- Sexual violence and rape
- Physical assaults
- Coercive control
- Kidnapping
With regard to children and young people, such abuse can occur in a variety of ways, including:
- Parents/carers forcing their belief set upon children
- Parents/carers preventing young people from exploring their sexuality outside of the accepted cultural beliefs, such as same sex relationships
- Parents/carers blocking young people from having a sexual relationship with someone from a different ethnic background, or because the relationship is outside of the marriage state
- Female genital mutilation (FGM)
One widespread misunderstanding is that honour based abuse is confined to communities from the Indian subcontinent or those who follow a particular faith. In fact, it is prevalent in a number of African and European cultures and a diverse range of religions.
There is often a mistaken belief that all victims of honour based abuse are female. While it is true the majority of victims are female, boys and young men are also at risk.
Signs to look out for
There are overt, less obvious and extreme indications that honour based abuse is being inflicted on someone.
- Overt signs include showing physical signs of harm such as bruising or changing a usual way of dressing to hide bruises or other marks.
- Less obvious signs can be anything from someone becoming quieter than normal or not wanting to talk about their home life to becoming intransigent about mixing with people from different cultures.
- Extreme signs may be particularly evident in young people who start to argue vehemently that their culture/religion is the only right one or who become addicted to online forums inciting fanaticism and hatred.
Why does the lack of a legal definition cause difficulties?
In September 2023, the government rejected calls by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) to establish a legal definition of honour based abuse because it feels it already has a working definition, as used by the Home Office and CPS. However, this working definition does not hold the same weight as a legal definition and consequently there is no clear guidance for local authorities, legal professionals, and other agencies.
For any professional dealing with honour based abuse cases or issues, the lack of a legal definition makes it difficult to provide the necessary understanding and support to victims. It means that no-one involved, whether police, social services, teachers or lawyers, is on the same page when dealing with potential issues. It negatively impacts what help is available to victims and even how instances of abuse are recorded. Ultimately, it makes it impossible to provide a co-ordinated approach.
Additionally, there is a lack of understanding about the options available to victims, resulting in many not being given access to legal aid, which can unlock access to vital help such as translators or legal help. These victims are missing out on access to justice, their fundamental right.
In the event that a case actually gets to court, there are then many more obstacles to navigate, such as massive backlogs and the dire lack of specialist help to support victims through the court process.
In conclusion
It is true that there are parts of the country where honour based abuse is not so prevalent as other areas. But cases even where I am based in the South West are increasing alarmingly. Sadly, no region is seeing an equivalent increase in financial aid being made available to relevant agencies or authorities.
We all have a duty to safeguard children and young people in particular, and to ensure access to justice for the most vulnerable in society. So while we eagerly await a legal definition, at the very least we should be calling for provision of specialist training for any professional who is likely to come into contact with honour based abuse.
Imran Khodabocus is a Director of The Family Law Company.
