Benjamin Britten Academy of Music & Mathematics

Honour based abuse is a term describing harmful behaviours used to control and punish a member of a family or social group to protect cultural and religious beliefs, in the name of honour.

So-called ‘honour-based’ violence encompasses crimes which have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or the community, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing.

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM)

FGM is a form of child abuse and is a criminal offence in the UK.

It is the partial or total removal of the female genital organs for non-medical purposes.

We know:there are no medical reasons to carry out FGM it's often performed by someone with no medical training, using instruments such as knives, scalpels, scissors, glass or razor blades children are rarely given anaesthetic or antiseptic treatment and are often forcibly restrained it's used to control female sexuality and can cause long-lasting damage to physical and emotional health.

Useful links

NATIONAL FGM CENTRE - https://nationalfgmcentre.org.uk/

NSPCC - 

Female genital mutilation is illegal. We've got advice to help you keep children and young people safe.

Action Aid - 

ActionAid is an international charity working with the poorest women and girls in the world, changing lives for good.

Find out about the female genital mutilation (FGM), what ActionAid does to end it, and how you can help.

FORCED MARRIAGE

A forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning disabilities, cannot) consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used. A marriage must be entered into with the free and full consent of both parties, there must be a choice.

Forced marriage is recognised as a form of violence against women and men, domestic/child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.

Useful links

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL UK -020 7033 1500 or sct@amnesty.org.uk

FORWARD - 020 8960 4000 or email support@forwarduk.org.uk.

BREAST IRONING/FLATTENING

Breast ironing or flattening is the process during which young pubescent girls’ breasts are ironed, massaged, flattened and/or pounded down over a period of time (sometimes years) in order for the breasts to disappear or delay the development of the breasts entirely. Girls aged between 9 and 15 have hot pestles, stones or other implements rubbed on their developing breast to stop them growing further. In the vast majority of known cases breast ironing is carried out by mothers or grandmothers.

Breast ironing is a form of physical abuse that has been condemned by the United Nations and identified as Gender-based Violence. Although, countries where breast ironing is prevalent have ratified the African Charter on Human Rights to prevent harmful traditional practices, it is not against the law.

Useful links

NATIONAL FGM CENTRE - https://nationalfgmcentre.org.uk/breast-flattening/