Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sharp increase in ‘honour-based’ offences in last five years, data shows

Sharp increase in ‘honour-based’ offences in last five years, data shows

THERE was a sharp increase in the number of “honour-based” abuse (HBA) offences recorded by English police forces in the last five years, The Guardian reported analysing official figures.

The number of HBA cases – including offences such as rape, death threats and assault – rose from 884 in 2016 to 1,599 last year, a rise of 81 per cent, the report added.


The data is derived from the 28 out of 39 constabularies that responded to  freedom of information (FoI) requests.

The report said that there may be many reasons for this spike including more victims coming forward and improved identification of offences by police.

However, Imran Khodabocus, a senior associate at the Family Law Company who represents families in such cases, told The Guardian that the rise was alarming.

“It’s essential education around what honour-based abuse is and how it impacts families is improved across the country. These figures are likely to just show the tip of the iceberg: lockdowns have exacerbated the problem for many and as we continue to get back to normal life, I expect to see even more cases involving honour-based abuse," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“Of course, due to the very nature of these cases, it’s likely many victims will never even think to approach the police and the issues are often not recognised by schools, social services or the police.”

The Crown Prosecution Service has said that forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) are other instances of HBA offences committed to protect or defend the honour of an individual, family and/or community for alleged or perceived breaches of the family and/or community’s code of behaviour.

There are estimated to be 12 to 15 so-called “honour” killings in Britain every year. Notorious cases include Banaz Mahmod, whose father, uncle and other relatives plotted to murder her after she left an allegedly abusive marriage and fell in love with another man.

In another instance, Samia Shahid, from Bradford was killed on a trip to Pakistan. Shahid’s ex-husband and father were arrested in Pakistan in connection with her death but her father died while on bail and nobody has stood trial.

The Home Office has collected data from police forces on HBA offences on a mandatory basis since April 2019. Its first figures, described as “experimental”, showed 2,024 offences recorded in 2019-20. It said it was likely to have been a “small proportion” of offences actually committed, the report added.

According to The Guardian, Greater Manchester police (GMP) were excluded from the Home Office figures because they could not supply data owing to installation of a new IT system, and were unable to respond to the FoI request either.

Karma Nirvana, a charity that supports victims of honour-based violence, said the omission of figures from GMP, England’s third-biggest force, was significant as the area generates a lot of calls to its helpline.

Natasha Rattu, the director of Karma Nirvana, acknowledged police identification of such crimes was better, albeit still with room for improvement, but said: “The fact that there are increases suggests that people are and have been feeling more desperate or more at risk," he told The Guardian.

The charity wants a fresh review of policing of honour-based abuse by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary as it says many of the recommendations of the last report, in 2015, which found police were not doing enough to protect victims, have not been implemented.

A National Police Chiefs’ Council spokesperson has said that these abuses are hugely under-reported and we remain focused on giving victims the confidence and come forward.

More For You

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Barnaby Rogerson in conversation with Anthony Sattin (L) on day 2 of Voices of Faith

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Mahesh Liloriya

The second day of Voices of Faith unfolded with an enchanting blend of music, philosophy, and intellectual exploration at the Barbican Centre, London. This inaugural festival, curated by Teamwork Arts—the force behind the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London—has been made possible by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners, amplifying the festival’s reach and resonance.

Session 1- Echoes of eternity: The timeless notes of Kabir

Keep ReadingShow less
starmer-immigration

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

UK returns 24,000 illegal migrants since July, highest in eight years

THE UK government has returned over 24,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the country since July, marking the highest rate of removals in eight years, prime minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

Baroness Patricia Scotland speaks at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London (Photo: The Ismaili National Council for the United Kingdom)

'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

THE outgoing head of the Commonwealth has paid tribute to the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, describing him as a visionary leader whose lifelong dedication to service, peace, and pluralism has left a lasting impact on the world.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London last Wednesday (26), Baroness Patricia Scotland, who steps down as Commonwealth secretary general on 1 April, reflected on her personal connection with the Aga Khan, recalling their meetings during Commonwealth Day celebrations at Westminster Abbey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less
Myanmar-quake-rescue-Reuters

Rescuers carry the body of a victim during search and rescue operations, following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 30. (Photo: Reuters)

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 1,700, UK pledges £10m in aid

RESCUE efforts continued in Myanmar as residents searched for survivors in collapsed buildings in Mandalay, two days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country. The disaster has killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and 17 in neighbouring Thailand.

The quake hit near Mandalay on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The tremors caused widespread destruction, damaging buildings, bridges, and roads in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

Keep ReadingShow less