Victims and survivors of ‘honour'-based abuse will be kept safer
through a new legal definition and guidance to help improve how
frontline professionals support victims and pursue perpetrators.
Recent statistics show that nearly 3,000 ‘honour'-based abuse
related offences were recorded by the police in England and Wales
in the year ending March 2025. However, due to the hidden nature
of ‘honour'-based abuse, this is likely to be just the tip of the
iceberg, as it is believed many of these harrowing incidents and
crimes go unreported.
A legal definition of ‘honour'-based abuse has been brought into
the government's flagship Crime and Policing Bill. Alongside a
power to issue crucial statutory guidance for authorities, the
new legal definition will help the police, social workers and
other public authorities better support victims, and set clear
expectations for professionals with safeguarding responsibilities
in the handling of these cases.
It will also help stop vital information, which could hold
perpetrators to account in a criminal trial, from falling through
the cracks.
The move is supported by over 60 charities, including Karma
Nirvana, which has campaigned for these reforms since the tragic
murder of Fawziyah Javed in 2021.
Fawziyah, from Leeds and pregnant at the time, was brutally
killed when her husband pushed her from Arthur's Seat, in a case
that showcased how harmful ideas of perceived ‘dishonour' can
lead to tragedy.
Fawziyah experienced domestic abuse which was compounded by
‘honour'-based abuse in the lead-up to her death, highlighting
the need to improve the way that statutory systems recognise this
form of abuse.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls,
, said:
There is no honour in ‘honour'-based abuse.
For too long, these devastating crimes have often been
misunderstood and victims badly let down.
Now we are tackling these crimes head on and bringing them out of
the shadows. Introducing a new definition and important guidance
into law will ensure professionals will work together to ensure
more victims are protected and more perpetrators face justice.
‘Honour'-based abuse can include ‘honour'-motivated killings,
female genital mutilation (FGM), and forced marriage, all which
are crimes that often take place in deep secrecy.
The definition, alongside a power to issue statutory guidance,
has been introduced via an amendment at Report stage of the Crime
and Policing Bill in the House of Lords, making both measures law
across England and Wales.
The bill aims to restore public confidence in the criminal
justice system and drive forward the government's highly
ambitious missions to halve both knife crime and violence against
women and girls within the next decade.
Executive Director of Karma Nirvana, Natasha Rattu, said:
Karma Nirvana welcomes the tabling of an amendment to introduce a
statutory definition of honour-based abuse. For too long, the
absence of a clear legal definition has contributed to
inconsistency in recognition and response, leaving victims at
risk and perpetrators unchallenged.
A statutory definition is a vital step towards ensuring that
police, prosecutors, health professionals and social care
services can identify abuse earlier and respond more effectively.
We are pleased to see this commitment being progressed and will
be carefully watching as it moves through Parliament to ensure it
delivers meaningful protection for those at risk.
In addition, the Home Office is exploring the feasibility of a
prevalence study for forced marriage and FGM, first announced in
August, to better understand how widespread these crimes are,
alongside a community engagement campaign encouraging victims to
come forward.
These initiatives will help uncover the true scale of the abuse,
ensure more victims receive the support they deserve, and bring
the most dangerous offenders to justice.
The measures follow the publication of the VAWG Strategy in
December, which unveils how every lever of the state is to be
used to protect women and girls and halve VAWG crimes in a
decade.
