Author: nikkigirvan

HBA in the LGBTQ+ Community Leaflet

‘Honour’-based abuse (HBA) is a crime or incident that has or may have been committed to protect or defend the ‘honour’ of the family and/or community.

Being LGBTQ+ or questioning your sexuality and/or gender identity when it is not acceptable within your family, faith or community’s beliefs, can be perceived as ‘dishonourable’ or bringing ‘shame’ on the family or community. Perpetrator(s) of HBA feel that the only way to restore family ‘honour’ or remove the ‘shame’ is to threaten to harm or kill, and in some cases even follow through on these threats.

Download our “HBA in the LGBTQ+ community” leaflet to learn about:

  • How HBA affects people in the LGBTQ+ community
  • HBA and conversion ‘therapy’
  • Other harmful practices that affect the LGBTQ+ community
  • How Savera UK helps LGBTQ+ people affected by HBA and harmful practices
  • Further help and resources

Conversion ‘Therapy’ Factsheet

Conversion ‘therapy’ refers to any interventions that seek to change, ‘cure’ or suppress the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of a person.

Conversion ‘therapy’ is not ‘therapy’ but a harmful practice and form of abuse against LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and all other identities included under the LGBT+ umbrella, including but not limited to intersex, asexual, pansexual, non-binary, queer and questioning) people.

It is considered harmful and unethical by many major health and mental health organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), and is widely discredited.

Click the link or image below to download our factsheet to learn key facts, the law, and how to respond to cases, suspected cases and disclosures of conversion ‘therapy’.

Breast Ironing / Flattening Factsheet

Breast flattening, also called breast ironing, involves the damaging of the breasts of girls approaching or going through puberty over a period of time, to make them disappear or delay their development.

It is not a part of any culture, but instead a harmful practice and a violation of human rights.

Click the link or image below to download our factsheet to learn key facts, the law, indicators, and how to identify risks and how to respond to cases, suspected cases and disclosures of breast ironing / flattening

FGM Educational Illustrations

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful practice that comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Female genital mutilation is classified into four main types.

Type 1 – Clitoridectomy
Type 2 – Excision
Type 3– Infibulation
Type 4 – Includes all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes (e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterising the genital area)

Our illustrations show these main types.

If using these illustrations in your own presentations, please credit Savera UK with the inclusion of its website address saverauk.co.uk.

Click the links below to download each image.





HBA & Harmful Practices Media Guidelines

Our press and media guidelines for reporting on HBA and harmful practices and interviewing survivors were created collaboratively by HBA/harmful practice survivors and the frontline professionals working with them.

The guidelines were the outcome of Savera Uk’s Setting the Story Straight project, funded by Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales.

The project examined how HBA and harmful practices, its survivors and affected communities were represented in the media and aimed to provide survivor informed, practical guidance for any journalists, broadcasters and content creators reporting on the topic of HBA and harmful practices.

To explore this resource, click here.

HBA and Harmful Practices Education Pack

Savera UK Youth is dedicated to helping teachers feel comfortable and capable in educating young people about ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices. That’s why its members created the Savera UK Youth Education Pack, which guides teachers and educators in delivering a session on ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices. The pack includes activities, factsheets and helpful tips for guiding the discussion.

You can register for Savera UK Youth’s Education Pack here

Savera UK also delivers training in professional and education settings at a cost. If this is something you would be interested in, please email info@saverauk.co.uk for more information.

Orange The World Toolkit

Each year, Savera UK and Zonta Club London (a member of Zonta International) join forces to raise awareness of gender-based violence/abuse in the UK and around the world, as part of the global Orange the World campaign.

Its Orange the World Toolkit, which can be downloaded below, is a vital resource for individuals and oragnisations looking for practical ways to speak out against gender-based violence/abuse, rape and harassment, as well as more hidden harmful practices like ‘honour’-based abuse, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

The Orange the World campaign aligns with the UN’s annual 16 day of activism against gender-based violence, which runs from 25th November to 10th December each year. Our toolkit is packed with themes, activities and ideas for the 16 days of activism, which will inspire you to get involved with the fight against gender-based violence.

Join the campaign and download the toolkit by clicking the link or image below.

When sharing your activities on social media, don’t forget to tag @SaveraUK and @ZontaLondon and use the hashtags #16Days #OrangeTheWorld and #NoExcuseForAbuse.

The Challenge Daily Magazine

Interviews, inspiration and everyday advice to help you ‘Choose to Challenge’. Created for International Women’s Day 2021, this Savera UK publication explores the idea of activism and highlights ways we can all ‘Choose to Challenge’ abuse, violence and gender inequality.

When most people think of the word “activism”, they think of street marches and large protests with placards. Although these are valuable ways of making a statement, everyday activism is just as effective in challenging an unequal world. It is everyone’s responsibility to stand up for equality and help change the world.

There are many ways that you can #ChooseToChallenge – click the link or image below to download our magazine to explore them.

FGM Service Information

Savera UK’s Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Service Information Video provides a clear picture of exactly what happens when someone calls the Savera UK helpline seeking advice.

Our 1-1 direct intervention team are specialists in cases of ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices, and will provide guidance and advice to anyone seeking information.

Watch the video below for more information on how Savera UK can help survivors and those at risk of FGM.