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Breaking the Silence: Understanding and Combating Honour-Based Abuse

Understanding Honour-Based Abuse

Honour-based abuse (HBA) encompasses a range of harmful practices carried out to protect or defend the perceived “honour” of a family or community. Though there is no statutory definition in England and Wales, it is generally understood as “a crime or incident committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or community.” Honour-based violence (HBV) often aims to control women’s behavior to uphold cultural, religious beliefs, and social norms in the name of “honour.”

In many cultures, honour is highly valued. However, when it is misused to control and punish family members, it leads to honour-based abuse, often with devastating consequences.

What is Honour-Based Abuse?

Honour-based abuse is a form of domestic violence committed by individuals, often family members, who believe that a relative has brought shame or dishonour to the family. Reasons for such perceptions include refusing a forced marriage, having relationships outside the community’s norms, or adopting Western lifestyles.

Reasons for Honour-Based Violence

Honour-based violence can arise from various factors, including:

Conflicts over inheritance.
Loss of virginity outside marriage.
Extramarital affairs.
Rebellion against traditional norms.
Insulting a family member.
Refusal of forced marriage.
Homosexuality.
Opposition to participating in honour-based violence against another person.

Understanding the Forms of Honour-Based Violence

Honour-based violence can take many forms, such as physical abuse, psychological pressure, abandonment, forced suicide, and even murder. Common triggers include refusal of marriage proposals, forbidden relationships, requests for divorce, pregnancy, and disagreements with family or community norms.

Motives Behind Honour-Based Violence

While women and girls are most commonly victimized, men and boys can also be targets, especially in cases involving relationships perceived as dishonorable, such as LGBTQ+ relationships or dating outside approved cultural or religious boundaries.

Recognizing the Signs of Honour-Based Abuse

Identifying honour-based abuse can be challenging due to its secretive nature. However, some warning signs include:

Sudden withdrawal from school or work.

Unexplained physical injuries.

Isolation from social networks.

Emotional changes such as depression, fear, or anxiety.

Consequences of Honour-Based Abuse

The impact of honour-based abuse is profound, often leading to mental health issues, physical injuries, and in extreme cases, abductions or ‘honour’ killings.

Facts and Figures

Victims of honour-based abuse often endure prolonged periods of abuse.
They are seven times more likely to experience abuse from multiple perpetrators and face higher risks of serious harm or homicide.
Research indicates that at least one ‘honour’ killing occurs in the UK every month.
Over 2,000 victims of honour-based abuse are supported annually.

The Concept of 'Honour'

In some communities, honour is prioritized over an individual’s safety and well-being, leading to emotional abuse, physical abuse, disownment, and even murder. Honour-based abuse is more prevalent within South Asian, Middle Eastern, North and East African communities, including Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Orthodox Jewish, and sometimes traveller communities. It is important to emphasize that cultural tradition does not justify honour-based abuse—forced marriage and all forms of domestic abuse are illegal.

Notorious Cases of Honour-Based Violence

Honour-based violence is a serious human rights abuse that is not confined to any single culture, religion, or region. Notable cases include:

Banaz Mahmod (UK): Murdered by her family in 2006 for leaving an abusive forced marriage.
Qandeel Baloch (Pakistan): Killed by her brother in 2016 for her social media presence.
Shafia Family Murders (Canada): Three sisters and their father’s first wife were killed in 2009 for adopting Western lifestyles.
Fadime Şahindal (Sweden): Murdered by her father in 2002 for her lifestyle choices.
Hatun Sürücü (Germany): Killed by her brother in 2005 for rejecting traditional norms.

Protection Measures

Protecting individuals from honour-based violence requires a multi-faceted approach involving legal, social, and educational strategies.

Legal Protection

Strong Legislation: Enacting strict laws that define and criminalize honour-based violence with severe penalties for perpetrators.
Protection Orders: Implementing and enforcing protection orders to keep potential perpetrators away from those at risk.
Anonymous Reporting: Encouraging anonymous tip lines to report threats without fear of reprisal.
Specialized Units: Creating police units trained to recognize and deal with honour-based violence.
Victim Support: Providing secure shelters and protection for potential victims or survivors.
Witness Protection: Establishing programs to protect those who testify against perpetrators.

Educational Initiatives

Community Workshops: Raising awareness about the legal repercussions of honour-based violence and the importance of women’s rights.
School Programs: Introducing educational programs that promote gender equality and human rights.
Healthcare Training: Training healthcare professionals to recognize signs of honour-based violence and provide appropriate support.
Media Campaigns: Utilizing media to promote awareness about women’s rights and the illegality of honour-based violence.

International Cooperation

International Laws: Supporting laws and conventions aimed at protecting women from violence.
Cross-Border Efforts: Collaborating to prevent abductions or forced repatriations of victims.
Global Campaigns: Participating in campaigns to end honour-based violence and support women’s rights.

Research and Data Collection

Data Collection: Gathering and analyzing data on honour-based violence to understand its prevalence and effective interventions.