APPENDIX 22
Memorandum submitted by the Association
of Chief Police Officers of England Wales and Northern Ireland
RESPONSE OF
THE ASSOCIATION
OF CHIEF
POLICE OFFICERS
HONOUR BASED
VIOLENCE WORKING
GROUP
1. The past 10 years have
seen unprecedented action to tackle domestic violence and other
forms of inter-familial violence. A major factor in this has been
recognition of the inter-relationship of agencies and level of
response for tackling domestic violence and related issues. This
has led to new legislation including the Domestic Violence, Crime
and Victims Act 2004, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003,
the Sexual Offences Act 2004 and The Children's Act most recently
the Forced Marriage (Civil Remedies) Act 2007. All three give
a clear message that domestic violence in all its forms is no
longer acceptable and that perpetrators will be held accountable
for their actions. They also have and continue to have a significant
impact upon future work in this area with the introduction of
legislative changes and imposition of specific duties for Police
and other statutory agencies working in domestic violence and
child protection fields.
2. Alongside these legislative
developments there has also been a significant change in the response
of the police to incidents of domestic violence and related issues.
This can be seen by the significant work undertaken by Association
of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to tackle domestic violence and
related issues and improve the police response to such incidents
by ensuring the safety of victims and those at risk of such violence
and by holding perpetrators accountable.
3. ACPO has also led the way
in the development of police and multi-agency responses to inter-familial
violence in BMER communities often motivated by misplaced and
misguided notions of honour and shame. Forced marriage and other
forms of so-called "honour based violence" have been
the focus of much Police, public and media attention in recent
years. The issue of forced marriage crosses all boundaries. Incidents
may bring to light other issues including domestic violence, child
protection issues, abduction, kidnapping, human trafficking and
even murder. A joined-up, partnership approach is essential if
forced marriage and related issues are to be tackled effectively.
4. Since February 2001, ACPO
has been at the forefront of strategic and operational initiatives
to address the issue of forced marriage and so-called "honour
killings. Supported by, and working in partnership with the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office the ACPO Forced Marriage Working Group
has assisted in the creation and dissemination of national guidelines
for Police responding to incidents of forced marriage, developed
effective and positive partnership working with a range of agencies
working in domestic violence and related fields; held a number
of successful national, international and regional seminars to
raise awareness of the issues and sources of support, advice and
assistance and the forging and maintaining of links with Police
colleagues in Europe, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle
East.
5. In 2004 this work was taken
further with the establishment of the ACPO Honour Killings Gold
Group, which focused on the most extreme acts of honour-based
violence—murder.
6. Since 2005 the work of
these two distinct but related national police working groups
has been brought together and merged into the ACPO Honour based
Violence Working Group (ACPO HBVWG). This multi-agency group has
a membership drawn from police services across the United Kingdom,
central government and the criminal and civil justice systems.
ACPO HBVWG is currently developing a national police strategy
and supporting action plan for responding to incidents of honour
based violence.
7. ACPO HBVWG works closely
with ACPO Domestic Abuse, ACPO Harassment and Stalking, ACPO Child
Protection and ACPO Homicide portfolios to ensure police responses
to honour based violence are incorporated within wider initiatives
to tackle violence and abuse and in recognition of the ways in
which such incidents come to police attention. This paper supports
the submissions made by the ACPO portfolios listed above but also
focuses on specific issues of honour based violence.
8. However, despite the achievements
and developments outlined above there is still much work to be
done if victims and those at risk of violence motivated by notions
of honour and shame are to be tackled effectively and those at
risk are confident to come forward and seek safety and protection.
Only by working in partnership and developing a holistic response
to honour based violence can victims be protected and perpetrators
held to account.
9. ACPO HBVWG believe that
there must be an explicit recognition and incorporation of the
needs of BMER communities in strategies and action plans to tackle
violence both in and out of the home that reflects need as well
as addressing culturally specific issues such as honour based
violence.
10. Since 2004, there has
been an agreed and shared definition of domestic violence between
adults and used by most agencies. This definition, developed in
consultation with other agencies, does take account of extended
family members and domestic violence in LGBT relationships. However,
ACPO HBVWG does not believe that this definition is wholly appropriate
for honour based violence incidents. The definition does not include
"uncles" and as can be seen from recent convictions
for so-called honour killings uncles are often instigators and
perpetrators of honour based violence incidents. It must be noted
that perpetrators of honour based violence are not restricted
to family members as can also be seen by recent cases. Such incidents
can be perpetrated by a wide network of family and/or community
members who may or not be acting on the instructions of family
members.
11. Police data shows that
almost 25% of honour based violence incidents involve young people
under the age of 18 years of age. This is supported by Forced
Marriage Unit data too. It for this reason and that stated above
that the ACPO HBVWG does not believe the current domestic violence
definition is appropriate for honour based violence incidents.
A draft definition developed by a multi-agency forum based in
London has been circulated to partner agencies across the country
as part of the strategy consultation.
12. There has been discussion
for some time about incorporating honour-based violence within
existing policy and strategy frameworks. ACPO HBVWG supports this
view but must stress the need to ensure that honour based violence
is incorporated within both adult and child protection strategies.
13. As stated above there
are guidelines in place for Police, Social Services, Health, Education
and legal professionals. However, much if this guidance is now
out of date and does not reflect the legislative changes outlined
earlier. With the enactment of the Forced Marriage (Civil Bill)
and the placing of guidelines on a statutory footing it is essential
that forced marriage guidelines for all agencies are revised as
a matter of urgency. The revision and implementation of guidelines
is essential if front-line service delivery is to be sensitive
and appropriate to victims needs. This will require additional
resources.
14. Training not only to implement
the revised guidelines for agencies but also to raise awareness
of the range of honour based violence issues, sources of support
and advice and relevant legislation is key to improve service
delivery. Working closely with colleagues at the National Policing
Improvement Agency, ACPO are working to revise guidance on responding
to domestic violence incidents and to the national domestic violence
training module. However, there is a need for bespoke training
for all agencies that take into account the needs of victims of
honour based violence. Any such training must address the needs
of child victims and specific responses to incidents involving
those under 18 years of age. Again additional support must be
available to agencies including the Police if this work is to
be undertaken and progressed in a realistic and meaningful way.
15. Emergency accommodation
and specialist support are key to ensuring the safety of victims
and those at risk of honour based violence. Currently there are
only 8 bed spaces available specifically for female victims of
honour based aged from 16 years through the Ashiana Project in
London. Adult female victims do have access to provision in wider
domestic violence refuge facilities but this is not sufficient.
There is no provision for male victims of honour based violence.
(The Forced Marriage Unit have stated that 15% of victims contacting
them for help are male). There is also no provision for victims
with no recourse to public funds. This creates significant challenges
for police and partner agencies when trying to ensure the safety
of those seeking protection. It also creates unequal access to
services for male and female victims of such incidents and for
those with access to public funds and those without. As a consequence
of this limited provision of emergency accommodation victims are
often forced to remain in abusive and violent situations often
risking death. ACPO HBVWG would like to ensure that the needs
of victims and those at risk of honour based violence are addressed
in future work to review refuge provision and emergency support.
16. In relation to children
there also remains significant difficulties when trying to access
safe accommodation. Not all Social Services departments understand
or recognise the risks posed by family and/or community members
to those at risk of honour based violence. ACPO HBVWG believes
that there is a need for an urgent review with Social Services
colleagues about honour based violence and the development of
agreed and joint service responses. This should form part of the
revision of guidelines for both agencies.
17. In addition to the need
for emergency accommodation for adult and child victims through
either specialist refuge provision and/or Social Services placement
ACPO HBVWG would also support an extension of the use of the Witness
Mobility Scheme and Witness Protection schemes for victims and
those at risk of honour based violence where appropriate.
18. Post crisis support for
victims of honour based violence must be addressed in addition
to emergency support for victims and those at risk of such acts.
In cases of honour based violence, as stated above, victims face
violence and abuse from a wide network of potential perpetrators
and are often forced to flee to safety leaving behind not only
immediate and extended family (who may or not be the perpetrators)
but also their wider community. ACPO HBVWG believes there is a
real need for longer-term post crisis support for those fleeing
honour based violence to help them rebuild their lives. Placement
within refuges varies across the country but whilst in such accommodation
victims have access to support and advice, however, following
consultation with survivors a need for more widely available outreach
and post crisis support is needed.
19. Honour based violence
can only be truly addressed by working with communities to address
these long-standing but totally unacceptable cultural practices.
Some members of the ACPO HBVWG have undertaken work with community
representatives, religious leaders and with local women's groups
to raise awareness of honour based violence. The Forced Marriage
Unit has also undertaken work to raise awareness with communities.
ACPO HBVWG believes that further work must be developed if communities
are to develop solutions to such issues as honour based violence
from within and ensure the eradication of such practices. This
work should form part of wider public education and awareness
raising campaigns. Agencies must work with victims, those at risk
and communities. This is NOT to suggest mediation as an option
to be pursued by service providers but an opportunity for open
and frank dialogue about notions of honour and shame, masculinity
and gender and inter-generational issues with and within communities.
ACPO HBVWG recommends the incorporation of honour based violence
and domestic violence within existing community engagement initiatives.
20. As part of the government's
work to address domestic violence there has been an increasing
focus on the availability of perpetrator programmes as a means
of tackling violence and abuse. There are extremely limited BMER
specific perpetrator programmes available. Indeed, access to perpetrator
programmes are limited for all communities due to limited availability
of spaces on programmes. There is a need for the development of
more BMER perpetrator programmes in order to develop solutions
that do not simply focus on immediate crisis management but take
a longer-term view of tackling violence and abuse.
21. Thus far this paper has
focused on developments with agencies in the UK context. It must
be recognised that many incidents of honour based violence involve
an overseas element with victims being taken overseas and forced
into marriage or indeed murdered, or perpetrators fleeing overseas.
ACPO HBVWG has undertaken work with a number of overseas police
colleagues in Europe, Indian sub-continent and the Middle East.
This work must be coordinated, focused and outcome driven and
must both raise awareness of the issues but also develop and maintain
strategic and operational partnerships with overseas colleagues.
The Forced Marriage Unit has coordinated much of this work but
is limited to service provision to British nationals. The international
dimension of work on honour based violence must engage a range
of partners to develop a clear and consistent message to all that
such forms of violence are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
22. If a coordinated and consistent
response to honour based violence is to be developed and victims
and those at risk are to be assured of their safety should they
be brave enough to come forward this must involve all agencies.
Such a response should also be broad in its approach addressing
prevention, diversion, enforcement and reassurance. The police
service is of course a lead agency in such developments but cannot
address this issue alone. It is imperative that other statutory
agencies work in partnership with the police, but also with the
voluntary and community sectors if we are to successfully tackle
honour based violence.
1 Ocotber 2007
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