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Identify and get support for honour-based abuse

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Honour-based abuse means violence, coercion and control, committed by family members or communities, to protect or restore an idea of 'honour'. This abuse can include physical violence, emotional abuse, forced marriage, and other harmful practices.

Honour-based abuse is a severe violation of human rights, and has very serious and often lifelong effects on victims. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing this type of abuse, it is important to know how to report it and seek help.

Why this type of abuse happens

Honour-based abuse is often carried out in response to behaviour (or the perception of behaviour) such as the following:

Religious or community 'defiance'

  • Disagreeing with the religion of the family or community
  • Defying authority, such as insulting a family or community member, rejecting a forced marriage, refusing to take part in honour-based violence, or assisting a victim
  • Lifestyle choices which a partner, family or community disapprove of, such as how you dress, going out alone or to certain places, displaying affection in public, using drugs or alcohol, or talking to certain people

Relationships and sexuality

Having a relationship, or expressing a sexual or gender identity, which is not acceptable to the family or community, such as:

  • A relationship with someone outside the religion of the community
  • A same sex relationship or LGBTQ+ identity
  • Visible marital problems, separation or divorce
  • An extra-marital affair
  • Pre-marital sex or pregnancy

Types of abuse

Honour-based violence or abuse is not one specific crime, and can take many forms. Typically, the victim will suffer any of the following forms of abuse:

Loss of freedom 

  • Isolation from friends and family, or being expelled from the community
  • Being kept against their will (with no access to passport, phone, or internet)
  • Abandonment or pressure to move abroad (usually to their family or community's country of origin)

Violence

  • Domestic abuse (of any type)
  • Physical and emotional violence
  • Common assault, GBH (grievous bodily harm) or kidnapping
  • Manslaughter, death threats or murder
  • Encouraging, assisting, or forcing suicide 

Sexual attack or oppression

How to identify the signs of this type of abuse

If you are concerned about someone being abused, here are some warning signs to look out for (although there may be others):

Their appearance and mood

  • Lack of confidence or self-esteem
  • Being fearful or extremely anxious and upset
  • Being withdrawn or unwilling to talk about home and family
  • Depression, self-harm, or attempted suicide
  • Unexplained physical injuries
  • Major personality changes

Their situation or behaviour

  • Domestic violence and family arguments
  • History of family members going missing
  • Being highly supervised and overly restricted in their movements 
  • Not having access to passport, internet, mobile phones, or family
  • Difficulties at school or work and unexplained absences
  • Running away from home
  • Unusual or very frequent phone calls from partner or family

Report it

Any form of honour-based abuse or harmful practice is illegal, including female genital mutilation and forced marriage. Crimes of ‘honour’ should be treated as a violation of human rights, and not as a religious or cultural practice.

Contact the police

Report to us

You may need to call different teams, depending on the victim and the time you contact us.

  • If you believe a child or young person is at risk of abuse and would like to report a concern, call B&NES Childrens Social Care Team on 01225 396312 or 01225 396 313 during normal office hours, or 014 5461 5165 (for out of hours emergency duty team). 
  • For adults with care and support needs, please ring B&NES Community Services team on 01225 396000. 

Support for honour-based abuse

Please see our pages on FGM and Forced marriage, for dedicated advice and information about these forms of abuse.

Locally based organisations

SARSAS

Services

  • Specialist support for any adult (18+) in B&NES who has experienced any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives

Contacts and links

Victim Support

Services

  • Support for anyone affected by crime
  • Specialised web pages for FGM and forced marriage

Contacts and links

Refugee Women of Bristol

Services

  • A multi-ethnic, multi-faith organisation for refugee women in Bristol

Contacts and links

National organisations

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

Services

  • 24/7 helpline for women and families trying to escape abuse

Contacts and links

NSPCC

Services

  • 24/7 helpline for children, families or professionals

Contacts and links

Halo Project

Services

  • Supporting victims of honour-based violence, forced marriage and FGM

Contacts and links

Childline

Services

  • Website and helpline for children and young people up to age 19 facing violence or abuse

Contacts and links

Karma Nirvana

Services

  • A specialist charity which provides support for women who are at risk of honour-based abuse

Contacts and links

True Honour

Services

  • Confidential one-to-one victim support and training on how to deal with honour-based violence and forced marriage

Contacts and links

Organisations serving particular communities

IKWRO

Services

  • Support around honour-based violence, for Middle Eastern, North African or Afghan women and girls
  • Languages available: Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, Dari, Pashto, Farsi, and English

Contacts and links

  • Website
  • General enquiries: call 0207 920 6460, 9.30 to 5.30 Monday to Friday (there is no support helpline service)

FORWARD

Services

  •     International women's rights organisation led by African women

Contacts and links

The Traveller Movement

Services

  • An organisation which advocate for and work with Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities to tackle discrimination and promote equality. 

Contacts and links