‘Honour’-based abuse, or HBA for short, is a type of abuse carried out by someone’s family or community in the name of so-called ‘honour’. They may be at risk if they are thought to have brought ‘shame’ on their family or community and as a result they are punished. In the most extreme cases punishment can result in death, known as ‘honour’ killing.
Examples of supposed ‘shameful’ behaviour can include:
- Having a boyfriend
- Being LGBTQ+ or questioning your sexuality or gender identity
- Rejecting a marriage
- Pregnancy outside of marriage
- Interfaith relationships
- Seeking divorce
- Inappropriate dress or make-up
- Accessing higher education without the approval of your family
Other types of harmful practices can also be carried out in the name of ‘honour’, but really there is no ‘honour’ in them. For example, a person might be forced to marry someone when they do not want to, or their consent has not been taken into consideration. In other cases the harmful practice of female genital mutilation might be carried out, which is an illegal procedure involving injury to the external female genitals or their partial or total removal. All of these practices are abuse and a violation of human rights.
Learn more about harmful practices by watching the Orange Brick Road video below:
You can find more information on the fact sheets below, and if you are a teacher or education professional, you can register for our education pack by clicking here.
Learn more about ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices by clicking below to visit the Savera UK Learning Hub.
