What is 'honour'-based abuse and harmful practices?
'Honour'-based abuse
There is no single legal definition that covers honour-based abuse, and it is not a specific criminal offence. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) uses this definition:
"An incident or crime involving violence, threats of violence, intimidation, coercion or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse), which has or may have been 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."
These crimes are often carried out by the victim's family, extended family, or members of their community. The aim is to protect or defend the "honour" of the family or community.
Harmful practices
Harmful practices are forms of violence against women and girls. They can happen before forced marriage. People may be coerced, forced, or shamed into undergoing these procedures. This often happens under pressure from family or community members to uphold the "honour" of the family, or as a pre-condition for marriage.
How we prosecute these crimes
There is no single offence of honour-based abuse. Only some offences deal specifically with harmful practices. When prosecuting, we consider a range of offences in the context of HBA or harmful practices. We make sure each case takes into account the wider circumstances and incidents reported by victims.
In cases of HBA, we will often look at offences such as:
- rape and serious sexual offences
- controlling or coercive behaviour
- stalking or harassment
- female genital mutilation (FGM)
- offences against the person (incorporating the charging standard)
- murder, attempted murder or manslaughter
- Procuring an abortion
Some other examples of offending which may fall within honour-based abuse are:
- Forced marriage
- Dowry abuse
- Breast flattening
- Male circumcision
- Virginity testing and hymenoplasty
- Spiritual abuse
- Immigration abuse
This is not a complete list.
Offences committed overseas
Where an offence has been carried out overseas, and legislation allows us to work outside England and Wales, our specialist prosecutors liaise closely with police to investigate and obtain evidence from that country. This may include evidence from travel or flight records.