Honour-based abuse is:
an incident or crime involving violence, threats of violence, intimidation, coercion or abuse (including psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse).
This abuse is committed to protect or defend the honour of an individual, family and/ or community.
This is done for alleged or perceived breaches of the family and/or community’s code of behaviour.
If your family or community think you’ve shamed or embarrassed them by behaving in a certain way, they may punish you for breaking their ‘honour’ code.
Examples of this include:
- having a relationship or marrying someone outside your community or someone within your community that your family don’t approve of
- separation or divorce
- talking to certain people
- having sex before marriage
- becoming pregnant or giving birth outside of marriage
- wearing clothes your family or community think are inappropriate
- using drugs or alcohol
- accessing higher education
- challenging what your family or community expect of you.
- disagreeing with the religion of your family or community.
There isn’t one specific crime of honour-based abuse. It can involve a range of crimes and behaviours.