1st May 2024
Progress in tackling Honour Based Abuse has been hampered by a lack of a clear definition within statutory frameworks.
A statutory definition for Honour Based Abuse is a crucial starting point for identifying cases and supporting victims. Statutory definitions play a vital role in providing precision, uniformity, and legal acknowledgement to critical matters. Establishing a statutory definition for Honour Based Abuse carries several important implications:
- Identifying Honour Based Abuse cases and holding perpetrators accountable
- Supporting and protecting victims effectively
- Evidence-based policymaking and appropriate resource allocation based on consistent research and data collection
This survey offers an opportunity to shape the definition and build a stronger policy case in favour of a statutory definition. We want to focus on the need for an enlarging definition as well as a comprehensive definition of honour based abuse so that this nuanced and complex form of abuse can be properly confronted. Complexity should not be an argument for leaving confusing and conflicting definitions across statute, institutions and organisations with safeguarding duties.
The clear inadequacies and inconsistencies across policing, the family and criminal justice systems and child safeguarding definitions of honour based abuse demonstrate the need for a statutory definition. The need to, for example, enlarge the definition of honour based abuse and violence within family proceedings and to offer a comprehensive definition within child safeguarding, policing and criminal proceedings is plain.
We’ve put together a guide to help you answer these survey questions in favour of a statutory definition for Honour Based Abuse. You can find this guidance at the bottom of this page.
The deadline for completing the survey is the 6th May 2024, and you can find the survey at:
https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/honourbasedabusedefinition/