Honour based abuse (HBA) encompass a range of customs, rituals, or actions that are ingrained in cultural, social, or religious beliefs but have adverse effects on individuals, particularly women and girls. These practices often perpetuate gender inequality and violate human rights. Perpetrators may include family members, individuals acting on behalf of the family or community and traditional practitioners.
According to Scottish law domestic abuse can only be perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner, this does not reflect the reality of many who experience honour based abuse in Scotland. Honour based abuse refers to acts of violence, coercion and control perpetrated against an individual, typically within a family or community context, in the name of protecting perceived notions of honour or reputation. This type of abuse often targets individuals, particularly women and girls, who are perceived to have brought shame or dishonour to their family or community. Honour-based abuse can include a range of practices, such as physical violence, emotional abuse, confinement, forced marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and even murder, carried out to restore or uphold the family's honour. Crimes involving individuals who are not a partner or ex-partner may not be prosecuted as domestic abuse under Scottish law. However, it's important to emphasise that these acts are still considered criminal offences and can be prosecuted under other legislation. While it may not fall under the legal definition of domestic abuse, victims of such crimes are still entitled to protection and justice under the law.
Forced marriage is where one or both parties do not consent to the marriage, or where consent cannot be given due to age or mental capacity. Coercion often plays a central role in forced marriages and can take various forms, including physical, financial, emotional, and sexual pressure. Tactics used to coerce individuals into marriage may include deception, threats, blackmail, and persistent harassment. Forced marriage is a criminal offence in Scotland covered by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It is committed by anyone who uses violence, threats or coercion for the purposes of causing a person to enter a marriage where he/she believes, or should reasonably believe, that the person has not freely consented.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is recognised globally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is typically carried out on girls before puberty and can have serious physical, psychological, and sexual health consequences. FGM is deeply rooted in cultural beliefs, gender inequality, and social norms surrounding femininity, purity, and marriageability. The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005 made it a criminal offence to have female genital mutilation carried out in Scotland or abroad, and increased the maximum penalty from five to 14 years imprisonment.
If the abuse involves a partner or ex-partner you may wish to access specialist domestic abuse services like those that can be found here. There is also the Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline and other organisations such as Amina Scotland, who provide support to Muslim and BME women, or the EVAA project at Aberdeen Cyrenians which provide support to women experiencing any type of gender-based abuse.