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Introduction to Honour-Based Abuse and Harmful Practices
Harmful Practices is an umbrella term used to describe violence, abuse, threats, intimidation, coercion, or control that is carried out to protect or defend perceived family, community, cultural, or religious honour.
It is not a specific criminal offence but can involve a range of criminal and safeguarding concerns, including domestic abuse, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, coercive control, sexual abuse, and other harmful practices.
Everyone has the right to live free from fear, abuse, violence, and control.
Understanding Harmful Practices
Honour-Based Abuse (HBA)
Definition
Honour-Based Abuse (HBA) is an umbrella term used to describe violence, threats, coercion, control, or abuse carried out to protect or defend perceived family, community, cultural, or religious honour.
What This May Look Like
- Family members controlling someone’s behaviour, relationships, education, career, or clothing.
- Threats of shame, disownment, or ostracism.
- Surveillance and monitoring of movements or communications.
- Physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse.
- Pressure to marry or conform to family expectations.
Who Can Be Affected
Anyone can experience HBA, although women and girls are disproportionately affected. Men, boys, and LGBT+ individuals may also be at risk.
Why It Is Harmful
HBA can cause significant physical and emotional harm, restrict individual freedoms, and increase the risk of serious violence, forced marriage, and other forms of abuse.
What To Do Next
If someone is at immediate risk, call 999. Seek support from specialist services such as Roshni, Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid, or West Midlands Police.
Forced marriage
Definition
A forced marriage occurs where one or both people do not freely consent to the marriage and pressure, threats, coercion, or abuse are used.
What This May Look Like
- Pressure to accept a marriage proposal.
- Family members arranging travel abroad unexpectedly.
- Threats of violence or rejection if marriage is refused.
- Removal from education or employment.
Who Can Be Affected
Children, young people, and adults from any background can be affected.
Why It Is Harmful
Forced marriage is a violation of human rights and can lead to physical abuse, sexual violence, isolation, and long-term trauma.
What To Do Next
Contact the Forced Marriage Unit, Roshni Birmingham, Children’s Services, Adult Safeguarding, or the Police.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Definition
FGM involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is a criminal offence.
What This May Look Like
- Discussions about a “special procedure” or ceremony.
- Planned travel abroad during school holidays.
- Difficulty walking, sitting, or participating in physical activity.
- Frequent urinary or health problems.
Who Can Be Affected
Girls and young women, typically before adulthood.
Why It Is Harmful
FGM can cause severe pain, infection, childbirth complications, psychological trauma, and lifelong health consequences.
What To Do Next
Report concerns to the Police, Children’s Services, a healthcare professional, or the NSPCC FGM Helpline.
Breast Ironing
Definition
A harmful practice involving the flattening or suppression of breast development using heated objects, tight binding, or physical force.
What This May Look Like
- Pain or injuries to the chest area.
- Secrecy surrounding puberty.
- Fear relating to physical development.
- Family efforts to hide signs of maturation.
Who Can Be Affected
Primarily adolescent girls entering puberty.
Why It Is Harmful
It can cause physical injury, long-term health problems, emotional trauma, and violations of bodily autonomy.
What To Do Next
Seek safeguarding support through Children’s Services, health professionals, specialist services, or the Police.
Virginity Testing
Definition
Virginity testing involves examining female genitalia to determine whether someone has had sexual intercourse.
What This May Look Like
- Pressure to undergo medical examinations.
- Family concerns about reputation or marriage prospects.
- Attempts to arrange private examinations.
Who Can Be Affected
Girls and women from a range of communities and cultural backgrounds.
Why It Is Harmful
The practice has no scientific basis and can cause humiliation, trauma, coercion, and abuse.
What To Do Next
Contact safeguarding services, a healthcare professional, specialist support services, or the Police if immediate risks are present.
Hymenoplasty
Definition
Hymenoplasty is a surgical procedure intended to reconstruct the hymen, often due to pressure to demonstrate “virginity.”
What This May Look Like
- Concerns about family honour before marriage.
- Pressure to undergo a medical procedure.
- Fear about community repercussions.
Who Can Be Affected
Women and girls experiencing cultural, familial, or community pressure.
Why It Is Harmful
The procedure may be sought under coercion and can reinforce harmful beliefs regarding women’s sexuality and autonomy.
What To Do Next
Seek advice from healthcare professionals and specialist support services if pressure or coercion is involved.
Child Marriage
Definition
A marriage involving any person under the age of 18.
What This May Look Like
- Discussions of marriage involving a child.
- School withdrawal.
- Travel arrangements connected to engagement or marriage.
- Sudden changes in a child’s future plans.
Who Can Be Affected
Children and young people under the age of 18.
Why It Is Harmful
Child marriage removes choice, disrupts education, increases vulnerability to abuse, and negatively impacts health and wellbeing.
What To Do Next
Contact Children’s Services, the Police, safeguarding leads, or the Forced Marriage Unit.
Dowry Abuse
Definition
Abuse linked to demands for money, gifts, property, or financial contributions before, during, or after marriage.
What This May Look Like
- Repeated demands for money.
- Threats or harassment linked to financial expectations.
- Financial control and isolation.
- Domestic abuse and coercion.
Who Can Be Affected
Individuals and families involved in marriages where dowry expectations exist.
Why It Is Harmful
Dowry abuse can contribute to domestic abuse, financial exploitation, coercive control, and violence.
What To Do Next
Contact domestic abuse services, specialist support providers, or the Police.
Transnational Marriage Abandonment (TMA)
Definition
Transnational Marriage Abandonment occurs when someone is stranded or abandoned abroad by a spouse or family member, preventing their return to the UK.
What This May Look Like
- Passport confiscation.
- Isolation overseas.
- Lack of financial support.
- Family members preventing communication.
Who Can Be Affected
Spouses, particularly migrant partners or individuals with overseas family connections.
Why It Is Harmful
Victims may become isolated, financially dependent, homeless, or vulnerable to further abuse and exploitation.
What To Do Next
Contact the Forced Marriage Unit, British Embassy services, specialist charities, or the Police.
Spiritual Abuse
Definition
Spiritual abuse occurs when religious beliefs, teachings, authority, or practices are used to manipulate, control, intimidate, or harm an individual.
What This May Look Like
- Misuse of religious teachings to justify abuse.
- Preventing access to support services.
- Threats of damnation, shame, or exclusion.
- Coercion disguised as religious obligation.
Who Can Be Affected
Anyone within a faith or spiritual community.
Why It Is Harmful
Spiritual abuse can undermine confidence, wellbeing, identity, autonomy, and access to support.
What To Do Next
Seek support from safeguarding professionals, specialist domestic abuse services, or trusted faith leaders trained in safeguarding.
Immigration Abuse
Definition
Immigration abuse involves using a person’s immigration status to control, exploit, threaten, or isolate them.
What This May Look Like
- Threats of deportation.
- Withholding passports or documents.
- Restricting access to legal advice.
- Preventing communication with support services.
Who Can Be Affected
Migrant victims, spouses, dependants, and individuals with insecure immigration status.
Why It Is Harmful
Victims may feel trapped, isolated, fearful of authorities, and unable to access support or leave abusive situations.
What To Do Next
Contact specialist domestic abuse services, legal advice providers, immigration support organisations, or the Police.
Conversion Practices
Definition
Conversion practices are actions intended to change, suppress, or deny a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
What This May Look Like
- Pressure to change identity or orientation.
- Counselling or religious interventions aimed at changing someone.
- Isolation from supportive networks.
- Being taken overseas for “treatment” or intervention.
Who Can Be Affected
LGBT+ individuals, particularly young people.
Why It Is Harmful
These practices can cause significant emotional distress, trauma, self-harm, poor mental health, and social isolation.
What To Do Next
Seek support through Birmingham LGBT, safeguarding services, healthcare professionals, or the Police if threats or coercion are involved.
What To Do If You Are Worried
Immediate Risk: Call 999
Child at Risk: Contact Children’s Services and the Police.
Adult at Risk: Contact Adult Safeguarding Services, specialist services, or the Police.
No Immediate Danger: Seek advice from specialist support services and safeguarding professionals.
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Local and National Support Services
The following section provides further information on the support services that are available for victims of Honour-Based Abuse and Harmful Practices. Please follow the links below to find out more:
Roshni Birmingham
Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid
Birmingham LGBT
Birmingham Referral Pathway
TBC
Professional Guidance and Safeguarding
Professionals may be in a position to identify Honour-Based Abuse and Harmful Practices, respond to a disclosure, or recognise when someone may be at risk. It is important that concerns are taken seriously and that safeguarding action is timely, appropriate and centred on the safety of the person at risk.
When responding to concerns about Honour-Based Abuse or Harmful Practices, professionals should consider their safeguarding responsibilities, including:
- Recognising risk and identifying potential indicators of harm
- Recording concerns clearly and accurately
- Following appropriate escalation procedures
- Sharing information in line with safeguarding and information-sharing principles
- Working effectively with relevant agencies and specialist services
Where there is a concern or disclosure, professionals should avoid taking action that could unintentionally increase the risk to the person involved. Responses should follow established safeguarding procedures and, where appropriate, involve specialist advice and support.
Practitioners Should:
✓ Take disclosures seriously
✓ Act promptly where risk is identified
✓ Follow appropriate safeguarding procedures
✓ Record concerns accurately
✓ Share information appropriately and in line with relevant guidance
Practitioners Should Not:
✗ Attempt family mediation
✗ Contact family members without an appropriate risk assessment
✗ Seek community resolution approaches
✗ Delay necessary safeguarding action
Resources and Dowloads
TBC
Legal Framework
A range of legislation provides the legal framework for preventing and responding to Honour-Based Abuse and Harmful Practices.