Day of Memory 2021

To mark the UK’s seventh annual Day of Memory we remembered those lost in the name of ‘honour’, with a virtual conference.

Speakers included the Minister for Safeguarding Victoria Atkins, Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs and Pauline Latham MP. Survivors from the Karma Nirvana Survivor Ambassador Panel Nour Norris and Farhana shared their moving and courageous stories related to Honour Based Abuse.

The event was also supported by Independent Government Adviser on Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Nimco Ali OBE, Dr Charlotte Proudman and our founder Jasvinder Sanghera CBE.

Karma Nirvana’s new strategy was outlined by our Executive Director, Natasha Rattu. We also reported on the rise in demand for our national Honour Based Abuse Helpline, which saw a 200% increase in contacts from victims during the early stages of the pandemic.

The theme of the conference was the need to understand Honour Based Abuse as a form of domestic abuse, rather than a ‘cultural’, ‘traditional’ or ‘religious’ problem. In 2020, an overwhelming 99% of contacts to our Helpline fell within the definition of domestic abuse.

It is important to understand that many victims of Honour Based Abuse experience multiple barriers linked to shame, stigma and community responses, encouraging them to remain in abusive environments.