By Luna Williams

So-called ‘honour’-based violence (HBV) is a form of domestic abuse which revolves around the concept of dishonour. Victims of HBV are usually targeted because they are perceived to bring some sort of shame or dishonour to the perpetrator (most often a partner or close family member) and their community.

While concepts of tradition and cultural expectations are entwined with this kind of ideology, it is important to note that HBV is not unique to any one community, culture, or religion. It is present within various communities across the UK and world, and, as such, it is difficult to understand and tackle. Equally, it is also important to be clear that, despite its name, abuse or violence can never be honourable, and cannot in the same way be explained or excused by such ideologies. Ultimately, this form of HBV occurs when cultural, religious or personal traditions are warped – and so it is never helpful to conflate it with any one specific community in any sense.

Who are the victims?

Women are overwhelmingly targeted by this form of abuse; the most recent findings by SafeLives indicate that just under 80% of HBV victims are women and girls. Where male victims are recorded, factors such as disability and sexuality are seen to play a huge role.

Because this type of abuse is so widespread, it is often very difficult to spot or address, at all levels. HBV tactics can range from extreme physical violence and torture to emotional and psychological manipulation. A common trope in the latter involves parents or close family members threatening victims with their own suicide if they do not conform to their fiscal and/or social responsibilities.

While this form of abuse, sadly, has taken numerous lives from people from all walks of life and across all communities in the UK, it is second and first-generation migrant victims who seem to take the brunt of this.

While this is often, in part, tied into cultural ideologies, this is a complex assumption to make, and one which cannot be used to explain the disparity consistently, or entirely. In fact, the main reason these communities are at a higher risk of so-called ‘honour’-killings than others comes into decisions which have been made on a policy-level.

The hostile environment

The ‘hostile environment’ policy was implemented in 2012 in an effort to stem illegal immigration. It worked off the basis that the UK should be made to be as unwelcoming as possible to undocumented people, in the hopes that this would encourage them to “leave voluntarily”. However, many of the policies – which encouraged landlords, employers, hospitals, and the police force to report people to the Home Office – resulted in cases of discrimination, immigration scandals, and racial profiling. As a result, many communities – including non-white refugee, migrant and British communities, have become distrustful of services which exist to protect them. This includes the police, who had a super-complaint launched against them at the end of 2018 when they were found to be sharing the details of victims and witnesses of domestic abuse with immigration enforcement. The NHS has also been forced to act as an unofficial arm of border control since the hostile environment came into effect, leading to some of the most vulnerable asylum seekers opting to go without vital care.

When considering the links between the length of time a person stays in an abusive relationship, and the rising risk of it ending in domestic murder, this is a deeply concerning issue. With those living in migrant and minority communities likely to distrust protective authorities to more of an extent, and those without a secure status afraid they may lose their positions in the UK if they do come forward, individuals who fall into these categories that fall prey to HBV are at the highest risk of losing their lives.

What comes next?

As such, more must be done to protect them – as well as any other individuals who are susceptible to this form of abuse. Preventative work must be taken to stop HBV at its root; education and rehabilitation may be the first steps towards making this happen. The government has been urged by various charities and forces to back a scheme which would focus on the rehabilitation of perpetrators of abuse as well as their victims. A pilot scheme, called Drive, was rolled out last year, in which 506 prolific domestic violence perpetrators had one-to-one counselling to help them learn how to build relationships and develop healthier, empathetic ways of communicating and understanding people. The scheme, so far, has been more successful than any other of its nature, reportedly reducing domestic abuse offending within those involved by 30% in six months.

Though this scheme is still in its infancy phase, it may offer a glimpse into the kinds of ways in which HBV can be tackled. Shame and dishonour are central facets to this particular form of abuse and so it is in these concepts that educative work must be conducted. In this sense, ideas about how potential dishonour can be dealt with within families and communities could be challenged, and perpetrators and potential perpetrators could learn to channel positive celebrations of culture, tradition and cultural beliefs into non-violent and non-abusive behaviours.

Education and discussion are also fundamental when it comes to tackling this form of abuse. For men who work in education, social care, or healthcare, opening up dialogues about HBV is hugely conducive. This could be as simple as discussing the known signs and patterns of HBV with colleagues, to promote more understanding across workforces who are positioned as the first point of contact to potential victims. Drop-in sessions could also be set up in schools, GP practices and community centres, to allow women and girls who are either at risk or being targeted to begin the process of seeking support. Those wishing to help members of their local communities in further ways could also hold fundraisers and events to not only open up dialogues about the practice but also raise money for some of the charities and organisations (such as Savera UK or the Halo Project) which are working in the UK to tackle the problem.

Recognition of HBV is central to being able to tackle it. As HBV is incredibly subjective, the signs can vary from victim to victim. Those who work with young women and girls in particular should look out for physical bruises, cuts of marks; signs that they are withdrawn (such as fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, regularly missing appointments/classes/social events); signs that they are being controlled in some way (for example, they have an unreasonably strict curfew, they have had their phone or device taken from their/checked); or any signs that they are physically frightened or intimidated by a family member, partner, or member of their community.

Those who are most susceptible to enduring these forms of abuse for longer periods – such as migrant and marginalised women – must also be identified so that further schemes in these communities can be rolled out. These could encourage local authority figures, like teachers and social workers, to recognise the signs of HBV and ensure that an easy and confidential service – such as a referral network – is set up to support victims.

As well as this, HBV survivors must have accessible support and essential resources to ensure they can physically leave their abuser(s). They should then have access to healthcare and counselling services to help them process their situation.

Luna Williams is the political correspondent at the Immigration Advice Service, an organisation which offers legal aid to asylum-seekers, domestic abuse survivors, and trafficking victims in the UK and Ireland.