So-called honour-based abuse

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 4 Nov 2022 Closed: 6 Feb 2024 Parliament page
An inquiry to examine the prevalence of so-called honour-based abuse in the UK, the extent to which the Government, police and other services understand the forms of such abuse, and the support in place to help victims. Read the terms of reference to learn more about the inquiry . This … Read more
10 Recommendations
6 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
2 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 8 events
15 Sep
2023
Report published
19 Jul
2023
Report published
22 Mar
2023
Correspondence
22 Mar
2023
Correspondence
11 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
11 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
7 Dec
2022
Oral evidence
7 Dec
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
11 Jan 2023
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So-called honour-based abuse
DCC Ivan Balhatchet · National Police Chiefs' Council Jaswant Narwal · Crown Prosecution Service Nicole Jacobs, Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner Sarah Dines MP · Home Office The Rt Hon Edward Argar MP · Ministry of Justice
7 Dec 2022
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So-called honour-based abuse; Women and Equalities Committee
Dr Hannana Siddiqui · Southall Black Sisters Dr Roxanne Khan · University of Central Lancashire Ms Diana Nammi · Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation Ms Surwat Sohail · Roshni Birmingham Ms Yasmin Khan Prof. Aisha K Gill PH.D CBE · University of Bristol
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - So-called honour-based abuse HC 831 19 Jul 2023 16 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Deferred
Sixth Report - So-called honour-ba…
Publish refreshed guidance for police on recording honour-based abuse and victim data
The Home Office, National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing should publish refreshed guidance for forces on how to accurately and consistently record incidents of honour-based abuse. The Home Office should instruct police forces across England and Wales to … Read more
Government Response
The government states the Department for Education is responsible for the 'children in need census' and is considering the committee’s feedback for future data collections, without addressing the recommendation for police data and guidance from the Home Office.
Government Equalities Office
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6 Recommendation Deferred
Sixth Report - So-called honour-ba…
Include specific questions on honour-based abuse within the Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment tool
The Government must include specific questions on honour-based abuse in the Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment tool to help both victims and police officers identify risks confidently and accurately.
Government Response
The government does not address the recommendation to include specific HBA questions in the Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment tool, instead discussing existing non-statutory definitions and statutory guidance for FGM and forced marriage, and stating they will keep the need for a statutory definition under review.
Government Equalities Office
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8 Conclusion Deferred
Sixth Report - So-called honour-ba…
Lack of a statutory definition for honour-based abuse hinders understanding and justice
In order to tackle so-called honour-based abuse effectively, it is crucial there is shared understanding of it across all agencies. The introduction of a statutory definition of honour-based abuse would contribute to social and professional understanding, help to improve data … Read more
Government Response
The government deflected the recommendation, responding instead about existing funding for HBA charities and VAWG services, without addressing the call for a statutory definition of honour-based abuse.
Government Equalities Office
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10 Conclusion Deferred
Sixth Report - So-called honour-ba…
Current Migrant Victims Protocol insufficient to protect victims with insecure immigration status
Abusers use the insecure immigration status of their victims to deter and prevent them from seeking support, exploiting fears that reporting abuse to the police will lead to action against the victim by Immigration Enforcement. We are not satisfied that … Read more
Government Response
The government deflected the concern about the Immigration Enforcement Migrant Victims Protocol and the impact of insecure immigration status, instead focusing on support for male victims of HBA and existing VAWG strategies.
Government Equalities Office
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14 Recommendation Deferred
Sixth Report - So-called honour-ba…
Reconsider Istanbul Convention Article 59 reservation and extend migrant victim support eligibility
The Support for Migrant Victims Scheme pilot has been valuable and we welcome its extension to 2025. However, there are shortfalls in funding to support victims with no recourse to public funds. We are concerned this is aggravated by the … Read more
Government Response
The government is deferring its decision on reconsidering the reservation to Article 59 of the Istanbul Convention, pending careful consideration of a pilot scheme evaluation, but will continue to fund the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme until 2024-25.
Government Equalities Office
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16 Recommendation Deferred
Sixth Report - So-called honour-ba…
Require Sentencing Council to include motivations of honour as an aggravating factor in domestic abuse guideline
It is reassuring to hear judges have robustly rejected any attempts to use ‘honour’ to reduce a sentence. Explicitly recognising so-called honour in sentencing guidelines would go further; it would strengthen the understanding that honour-based abuse is taken seriously by … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the independent Sentencing Council has been alerted to the recommendation and will consider including motivations of honour as an aggravating factor as part of a planned review of the domestic abuse guideline.
Government Equalities Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 16 of 10 classified
Accepted 7
Deferred 6
Rejected 3
Total 10 recs + 6 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
22 Mar 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister for Safeguarding relating to the Honour-Based Abuse inquiry
Parliament page
22 Mar 2023 To committee Letter from the CPS relating to follow-ups to the So-called honour-based abuse inquiry
Parliament page