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A missed opportunity to tackle honour-based abuse?

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17 November 2023 / Imran Khodabocus
Issue: 8049 / Categories: Features , Family
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Imran Khodabocus calls for honour-based abuse to be given a legal definition
  • Highlights that missed opportunity to establish a legal definition for honour-based abuse perpetuates the current lack of guidance and cohesive response.
  • Covers the urgent need for training for different agencies—and how this might be implemented.
  • Explains why barriers for victims and lack of protocol exacerbate the status of honour-based abuse as a hidden crime.

In September, the government responded to recommendations made by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) regarding honour-based abuse. The response rejected calls by the WEC to establish a legal definition of this type of abuse, as the government claims it already has a working definition used by the Home Office and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

As a lawyer working on diverse cases of honour-based abuse, this seems to me to be a missed opportunity.

As the WEC pointed out, honour-based abuse remains a hidden crime and one that victims are hesitant to report without having greater assurance that they will be protected

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