Tag: ‘Honour’-Based Abuse (HBA)

A Critical Exploration of the Divergence of HBA Characteristics Across Geographical Origins

Savera UK’s fourth research paper, in partnership with the University of Liverpool, has been published in the Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling.

The research, ‘A Critical Exploration of the Divergence of ‘Honour’-Based Abuse Characteristics Across Geographical Origins’ (Ritchie, Rebecca, Almond, Louise, Qassim, Afrah, McManus, Michelle and Chantler, Khatidja. 2026) aimed to obtain base rate information on survivors’ geographical origin and determine if characteristics of ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) are significantly associated with the geographical origin of survivors.

With limited research examining variations in HBA characteristics based on the demographics and geographical origin of survivors, the investigation seeks to fill this void.

Read the full paper here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jip.70018

Practitioner Views on Defining ‘Honour’-Based Abuse: A Focus on Atypical Cases

Research from Savera UK and the University of Liverpool into the definition of ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) amongst professionals has highlighted a lack of understanding of HBA that is negatively impacting the identification and prosecution of atypical cases and creating barriers to survivors accessing support.

The thematic analysis ‘Practitioner Views on Defining ‘Honour’-Based Abuse: A Focus on Atypical Cases’, published in the Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, presents the findings of interviews conducted with 10 HBA experts on how it should be defined when considering atypical cases.

Read the full paper here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jip.70013

Spiritual Abuse Factsheet

Spiritual abuse is a term used to describe any form of coercion, control, or exploitation that uses religion, faith, or spiritual beliefs to manipulate or harm individuals. It is a form of abuse and a violation of human rights.

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 Spiritual Abuse.

HBA and Harmful Practices Happen Here: A Toolkit for Responding as a Frontline Professional

Savera UK is a leading charity working to end ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) and harmful practices, such as forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), virginity testing and conversion ‘therapy’, and helping professionals to respond appropriately to these issues is a significant part of our work.

Our toolkit for responding as a frontline professional provides vital information and practical guidance to help us end these practices for good.

It highlights what you should ask a person you believe to be a survivor or at at risk of HBA and harmful practices, outlines key ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ and explains how Savera UK can help you, and the people you work with.

You can downloaded the toolkit below by clicking the link or image.

 

‘Honour’ and Its Upholders: Perpetrator Types in ‘Honour’-Based Abuse

Savera UK has revealed new research in partnership with the University of Liverpool, examining perpetrator types in HBA cases. The research identifies three perpetrator subtypes and associated risks and abuse characteristics, which could improve identification and response to HBA.

‘Honour’ and Its Upholders: Perpetrator Types in ‘Honour’-Based Abuse, was published in August 2024 by Routledge in the Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice. The research investigates if the various HBA characteristics correlated with different types of perpetrator-survivor relationships. Using the same data set from its first descriptive study, Savera UK identified three perpetrator subtypes: Intimate partner only, family only and intimate partner and family.

Read the full paper here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24732850.2024.2390872

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

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.