30th October 2025
Karma Nirvana, a leading UK charity supporting victims of Honour Based Abuse (HBA), has revealed a concerning rise in cases handled by its helpline, with 3,079 cases reported over the past year through our annual data release, indicating a 3% increase from the previous year. Case volumes have increased 35% since 2021/22, highlighting the escalating need for specialist services. This data covers April 2024 to March 2025.
On average, the helpline received 904 contacts per month and handled 257 cases monthly, highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness and action on HBA.
Professionals and victims represented the highest number of contacts, making up 46% of our case types each. Individual victims represented a high proportion of cases, with 45% as individual victims and 1% as 2+ victims.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the Karma Nirvana Helpline responded to 10,846 contacts, a 12% increase from the previous year. This includes both victims and professionals seeking safeguarding support.
Who We Helped
- 91% of victims were female, and 70% were aged 18–35.
- 43% identified as British Pakistani or Pakistani, followed by 17% Indian or Indian British and 10% Bangladeshi or British Bangladeshi.
- Over half (55%) of victims with known marital status were married, with 1 in 4 separated or divorced.
- 14% of victims were under 18, demonstrating that younger victims remain at significant risk.
Complex, Ongoing Abuse
The most commonly reported types of abuse were coercive control (31%), emotional abuse (30%), and physical abuse (21%), reflecting the complex, often non-physical nature of Honour-Based Abuse.
Common triggers for abuse included:
- A history of HBA (13%)
- Family disputes (11%)
- Being female (10%)
- Wanting a divorce/separation (9%)
Victims often faced multiple perpetrators, averaging 1.4 perpetrators per case, with 1 in 3 experiencing abuse from a partner or ex-partner, and 1 in 4 from parents.
Forced Marriage Threats Remain High
The helpline handled 266 forced marriage threat cases, including 136 threats overseas. Alarmingly, 37% of professionals questioned were unaware of the statutory guidance on forced marriage. Most victims under threat reported being pressured to marry a first cousin (76%).
Barriers to Reporting
The biggest barriers to seeking help remain fear of repercussions (538 cases), lack of awareness of rights, and immigration-related concerns. Many victims also reported shame, community pressure, or mistrust of professionals as reasons for not disclosing abuse sooner.
Building Trust and Hope
Despite the challenges, 81% of helpline users reported being very satisfied with the support they received. Many survivors credited Karma Nirvana with helping them rebuild their lives and find safety.
I have a career and a beautiful family now. I credit my life to Karma Nirvana and the work they do. Without them, I would not be here.
Helpline User – 2024/2025
Natasha Rattu, executive director of Karma Nirvana, said: “It’s great that we are getting more reporting, but we know that the data we have is just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Emotional abuse and coercive control are used in the vast majority of cases that we come across.”
“People disclose physical abuse and violence at the hands of perpetrators.”
“We know that the data we have is just the tip of the iceberg and that there are many more people affected by these issues than are reaching out for help.”
“Social services are dealing with a lot of complex, difficult dynamics that they don’t necessarily have the tools, the knowledge or the experience to deal with.”