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Crimes of the communityHonour-based violence in the UKWomen of honour?CRIMES OF THE COMMUNITY Be warned. This is a revealing, disturbing book based on over 80 interviews, many with victims of honour-based crime. The Centre for Social Cohesion wants to ‘... bring Britain’s ethnic and religious communities closer together...’. This is probably the most comprehensive study of honour-based violence ever conducted in the UK. Its main findings are worth looking at. Honour, according to many ethnic groups in Britain, is about ‘bravery, cunning, self independence, self-respect and how a person sees himself and his relative value in society’. A man’s honour is determined by the behaviour of the females in his family who ‘carry the honour’. Acts that threaten honour are having a boyfriend from a different culture, defying parental authority, becoming ‘Western’, having sex before marriage, and getting into drugs, alcohol or gossip. Where pride, security or business propositions are at risk due to the behaviour of these women, ‘acts of honour’ occur. Marriages and mutilationForced marriages take place and men return to Asia to find an obedient wife who knows little of female independence or Western things. Some girls as young as 13 are removed from our schools and sent away to be married. Schools are reluctant to intervene lest they are accused of lslamophobia. The UN Population Fund states that there are ten to 12 honour killings each year in Britain. A harrowing example is given of a mother holding down her own daughter while relatives murder her. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) takes place to safeguard virginity and protect girls from having deformed children. The women most at risk are Muslims. Since an act forbidding it in 2003, girls as young as eight have experienced FGM. Barriers to changeThere are many barriers to change in Britain. First generation immigrants’ practices are sustained while women are ‘programmed’ early. Communities from abroad bring their views (in Syria a man is not prosecuted if he kills his wife for an immoral act) and self segregation doesn’t help. Some Islamist groups encourage violence towards women who become too independent and religious leaders refuse to address the issue for fear of losing their wages. Women find gaining a divorce difficult and fear fleeing abuse, believing they will be tracked down. Most striking is that government laws are not upheld because some police officers (who may even be used as government advisers) defend traditional practices. Where police have underestimated pleas for help, deaths have occurred, such as that of 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod, who was kidnapped, raped and then killed. No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) states that immigrants cannot get benefits for their first two years. The Muslim Council of Britain has been less interested in honour-based violence than in Islamophobia. Any hope?The book gives a glimmer of hope due to breaking traditions, education, economic independence and some government policies In the south of England there is discussion, more freedom in marriage and work between men, women, NGOs and progressive religious groups. Recommendations as to how change can happen are divided into low, medium and high impact and cover such ideas as improving police knowledge, criminalising forced marriage and educating men about the cost of honour-based violence. This book is laid out in an accessible way and is compelling reading. It is as suitable for those further away from these problems as for those living near immigrant communities. This eye-opening publication will stir you to pray for victims and for those who make decisions in our country about their welfare. Rebecca Griffin,
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