Some specific forms of domestic violence

The Government defines it as: "A marriage conducted without the valid consent of both parties where duress (emotional pressure in addition to physical abuse)is a factor". Arranged marriage is often confused with forced marriage. Arranged marriages occur with the consent of both parties involved. They can decide not to marry the other person for whatever reason. Forced marriages occur without the consent of one or both of the parties involved. Consent is a prerequisite of marriage in all faiths, including the Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Christian faiths. By definition, the marriage of any child is a forced marriage, as children cannot legally give consent.

There are many reasons used to justify forced marriages. In the UK young women with non-Western cultural backgrounds may be forced into marriage with men from their country of origin because of a perceived shift to them becoming 'too Westernised'. It is sometimes difficult to define when someone is being "forced", as not all victims are subject to physical abuse, or even overt emotional pressure and blackmail. But physical abuse may be used to force the victim to agree to the marriage before it takes place, although many victims say emotional blackmail is more damaging. Physical abuse is common both before and after the marriage. And after the marriage takes place, young women are often faced with years of domestic abuse and rape.

The Forced Marriage Unit deals with approximately between 250 - 300 cases of forced marriage every year, 30% of which involve minors. Often women are duped into going to their countries of origin on the pretext of a holiday. They are then forced into marriage.

Victims often feel lonely and depressed. The suicide rate among Asian women in the UK is two to three times the national average, and it is suggested that this is partly a result of the weight of expectations on the role of women and their marriage expectations.

(Taken from the Greater London Domestic Violence Project Greater London Domestic Violence Project and www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/forcedmarriage)

Forced Marriage Unit (FMU)  Phone 020 7008 0151
More advice can be found here about what forced marriage is, what the unit does, plus access to a survivor’s handbook, leaflets and local help Information for forced marriage victims

FMU's forced marriage survivors handbook Survivors Handbook

Women's Aid Federation England have advice and information here, plus links to refuges and other support organisations Forced marriage

The Men's Advice Line have information and links here Male victims of forced marriage • Support for male victims • Respect

"Honour" Network  Phone 0800 5999 247
Runs from 9am to 9pm 7 days a week, 365 days per year. Provided by charity, Karma Nirvana.

BBC – Forced Marriage has information and various links

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FGM, as defined by the WHO, is 'the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reason'. FGM is sometimes known as female circumcision or cutting. The WHO has distinguished four types of FGM that include the total or partial removal or the labia and/or clitoris. FGM has been inflicted with a range of sharp implements, including scissors, shards of glass, knives, sharp rocks and razors.

FGM and fistula have severe health consequences for the victim. Whilst death as a result of haemorrhaging is sometimes a consequence, side effects range from pain, shock, psychological damage, infection to the urinary tract, pelvis, uterus and vagina, to complications during pregnancy and childbirth (which can result in death for both the mother and child), difficulties in menstruating and permanent damage to the reproductive system.

Whilst the practice of FGM is defended on the grounds of religious or cultural traditions, or to increase hygiene, FGM is fundamentally a violation of human rights. It is not a religious requirement and defences are rooted within contexts that do not see women as equal to men. Perhaps the most common defence for FGM is that it will preserve a woman's chastity and keep her faithful to her husband. Moreover, it infringes on a woman's right to control her own body, sexuality and sexual and reproductive health.

In the UK, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (enacted in 2004) closed a loophole to make it an offence to take a girl out of the country for FGM, regardless of whether FGM is legal in that country or not. The maximum penalty for performing or procuring FGM was raised from 5 years to 14 years imprisonment.

A study recently published by FORWARD estimated that, in England and Wales, there are almost 16,000 girls in under the age of 15 that are at high risk of WHO Type III FGM and over 5,000 at high risk of WHO Type I or Type II FGM. (Taken from the Greater London Domestic Violence Project)

Forward

FGM National Clinical Group

UNICEF – FGM/Cutting

UNFPA – Ending FGM/Cutting

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"So-called honour-based violence" is committed when perpetrators of such violence perceive that a relative has shamed the family and/or community by breaking their honour code. It is generally agreed that there is no honour in the commission of murder, rape, kidnap and the many other acts, behaviour and conduct which make up 'violence in the name of so-called honour'.

There is some debate around whether the issues of so-called "honour"-based violence and forced marriage should be considered as part of, or separately from, mainstream domestic violence provision and legislation. On the whole South Asian women’s groups agree that policies to address so-called "honour"-based violence and forced marriage should be integrated into broader domestic violence policy as this allows the issues to benefit from the resources and best practice developed in this area and can help to prevent the development of "differential policies which negatively impact on minority communities, such as racist immigration controls". Middle Eastern women’s groups, however, have expressed the view that so-called "honour"-based violence and forced marriage should be considered separately in order to make sense of and deal with the issues in a targeted way.

The approach of the UK Government is to address so-called "honour"-based violence and forced marriage in the context of its domestic violence policy framework, although it recognises that these kinds of violence raise specific issues. For example, specialised organisations have reported that families often "drive" women to suicide (often setting themselves alight) by applying psychological pressure. This framework was supported by the recent report on forced marriage in Luton, which concluded that "forced marriage should be regarded as a highly specific form of domestic bullying". This is the also the approach that the Lancashire Domestic Violence Partnership is taking.

Some groups disagree with the use of the term "honour"-based violence on the grounds that this could perpetuate the notion that such violence is indeed honourable. This approach also stresses that the term "honour"-based violence describes a particular excuse or justification for violence – no other forms of domestic violence are defined by the excuses given for perpetrating them - and the result is still domestic violence. Others believe that the term is useful to attempts to highlight and promote understanding of the issue and should be used as it engages with the language of those who perpetrate such violence.

However, it is acknowledged that the real reasons for this violence are the same as for other forms of domestic violence and violence against women – that this behaviour is used and sanctioned socially to assert male power in order to control female autonomy and sexuality.

Some have stated that 'So called Honour Based Violence' can be distinguished from other forms of domestic violence, as it is often committed with some degree of approval and/or collusion from family and/or community members, and also in that there can be more than one perpetrator. However, others have stressed that this is not necessarily different to other forms of domestic violence – although there may be some differences in the way that this happens (in terms of tactics and excuses used) in relation to ideas around "honour".

BBC Link to Honour Killing/Crimes

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