FAQs for Professionals

• Yes, we support safeguarding professionals with cases, as well as victims.

• Honour Based Abuse is a complex issue, and can be hard to identify if you are unfamiliar with it.
• We recommend you use the following definition: An incident or pattern of violence, threats of violence, intimidation, coercion, control or abuse (including but not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, economic, spiritual, faith-related or emotional abuse) motivated by the perpetrator’s perception that an individual has shamed, or may shame, the perpetrator, the family, or community or has otherwise broken, or may break, the perceived norms of the community’s accepted behaviours, including by speaking out about the abuse and where the perception of shame may also prevent a victim from accessing support or help.
• If you are still not sure if your are seeing Honour Based Abuse, it is best to contact us for guidance and help.

Professionals should consider the following with HBA cases:

• There is usually a cultural and/or familial context of Honour Based Abuse, however no practice is justified under the guise of tradition, culture or honour. By not identifying HBA, individuals may not be properly supported.
• Victims may be at extreme risk if their disclosures are not handled with care. By identifying HBA, you can ensure their safety and confidentiality are prioritised.
• Victims may be reluctant to disclose their experiences. By recognising HBA, professionals know to listen non-judgmentally and create a safe space for them to share their stories.

• There are many misconceptions about Honour Based Abuse being associated with certain cultures or religions, and our work is dedicated to challenging and correcting such beliefs. Honour Based Abuse is not a cultural tradition or religious practice; it is a form of abuse that can occur within any community, regardless of faith or background. Abuse is abuse – no matter who the perpetrator is or how they justify it.

• There are many misconceptions about Honour Based Abuse being associated with certain cultures or religions, and our work is dedicated to challenging and correcting such beliefs. Honour Based Abuse is not a cultural tradition or religious practice; it is a form of abuse that can occur within any community, regardless of faith or background.
• It is important to not prescribe HBA to a victim based on race or religion. HBA should be identified through indicators, and ethnic background is not a good indicator of whether an individual will face HBA, as we see people from many different backgrounds and cultures experiencing HBA.
• If you are not sure if your case has indicators of HBA, you should contact our helpline.

• No, we do not accept referals. You can signpost victims to us and we accept all contacts regardless of if they have been signposted to us or not.

• There currently isn’t a statutory definition for HBA, but our campaign, #Push4Change, which is backed by the sector, advocates for the following definition:
• An incident or pattern of violence, threats of violence, intimidation, coercion, control or abuse (including but not limited to psychological, physical, sexual, economic, spiritual, faith-related or emotional abuse) motivated by the perpetrator’s perception that an individual has shamed, or may shame, the perpetrator, the family, or community or has otherwise broken, or may break, the perceived norms of the community’s accepted behaviours, including by speaking out about the abuse and where the perception of shame may also prevent a victim from accessing support or help.

• No, we cannot contact victims without their consent.
• If you do pass on their details, you need to have consent from them for us to contact them before we are able to contact them.

• • • Contact our helpline: For full support, contact our free helpline to understand more about how to effectively support victims.
    • Be patient with victims: Victims may be reluctant to disclose their experiences and find it hard to explain the abuse they are facing. Professionals need to listen non-judgmentally and create a safe space for them to share their experiences.
    • Do not disclose details to family members of a potential victim: Victims may be at extreme risk if their disclosures are not handled with care. You need to ensure their safety and confidentiality are prioritised.

• In 1993, Karma Nirvana became the first specialist charity for victims and survivors of Honour Based Abuse in the UK. Since then, we have led the campaign against Honour Based Abuse – supporting, empowering and educating those impacted, so they can live a life free of abuse.
• We run the national Honour Based Abuse Helpline, producing data on Honour Based Abuse. We also train frontline practitioners and professionals, and we campaign for change, working with parliamentarians and policy-makers.

• You can find resources for professionals here.
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• You can read more about our recent work in our news section.
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