'Honour killing' term provides convenient excuse for murder, rape, abuse and enslavement
3 min read
Writing exclusively for PoliticsHome, Nusrat Ghani argues that the term 'honour killing' intimidates agencies of the state from pursuing and prosecuting offenders.
Language matters.
When a British citizen from a minority faith or heritage is a victim of murder or domestic violence, the crime is often described as one carried out in the name of family “honour”.
In reality, it can only be explained as a means of self-justification for the perpetrator. It diminishes the victim and provides the perpetrator with a convenient excuse for actions that in our society should simply be described as murder, rape, abuse, and enslavement.
Even more than that, the term assumes that violence, and violence against women in particular, is culturally sensitive, a sensitivity which allows the perpetrator to further coerce the victim against seeking help and intimidates the agencies of the state against pursuing and prosecuting these violent crimes.
The UK is a proud leader in tackling violence against women and girls, at home and overseas – female genital mutilation, forced marriage and enslavement have all been government priorities. The landmark Modern Slavery Act, introduced by the Prime Minister when she was Home Secretary, has led the way in addressing trafficking and abuse on a national and international level.
But we can do more, so later today I will introduce the Crime (Aggravated Murder of and Violence against Women) Bill. Between 2010 and 2015, 11,000 incidents of crime where the term “honour” was applied were recorded in the UK. In many of these cases the police and other agencies, including the CPS, have been reluctant to tackle domestic violence in minority communities for fear of being accused of racism or of provoking community unrest. Indeed, the CPS has acknowledged that it needs to improve its “understanding, response and support to victims”.
Victims such as Sarbjit. Sarbjit was abused throughout her marriage. She was battered by her husband. She was treated as a domestic servant in the home of her in-laws. Sarbjit was terrorised, going to bed not knowing if she would be alive the next day. She was told that the honour of her family was at stake if she complained and that the police would just treat her as a number.
Sarbjit told me that she didn’t feel alive but nor was she dead. She was trapped. Once she had been let down by the authorities we trust to protect us, she had nowhere to turn. When she did sum up the courage, an incredibly brave step to take, she called Crimestoppers as well as the police. She risked her life in reaching out, but after statements were taken, she was returned home to her abusers because it was just “a cultural misunderstanding”. Shockingly, the evidence of her abusers was believed over hers, and she was sent home to think of her family’s honour.
It is impossible to deal with the early signs of abuse if we encourage the idea that “honour” is an excuse for it. Victims must know, without doubt or discouragement, that when they are abused, raped or coerced within a domestic setting it is a crime as much as any other instance of abuse, rape or coercion.
There can be no exceptions to equality of treatment before the law, there can be no exceptions to the pursuit of justice. And that is why language matters – because it can either embolden or diminish a victim at their most vulnerable moment. The words we use and the actions we take must reflect the values we hold dear.
Nusrat Ghani is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Wealden
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