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Extent of `honour` crimes exposed in Britain
More than 2,800 so-called honour attacks -- punishments for bringing shame on the family -- were recorded by Britain`s police last year.
At least 2,823 incidents of "honour-based" violence took
place, with the highest number recorded in London, the Iranian
and Kurdish Women`s Rights Organisation (IKWRO) found.
IKWRO director Diana Nammi told the BBC: "The perpetrators
will be even considered as a hero within the community because
he is the one defending the family and community`s honour and
reputation."
Honour crimes mostly happen in South Asian, eastern
European and Middle Eastern communities, she said.
Honour-based violence is an "organised or collective crime
or incident" orchestrated by a family or within a community,
she said, adding: "It can be by a relative and sometimes on
the order of community members."
Things considered dishonourable include having a
boyfriend, being a rape victim, refusing an arranged marriage,
being gay and in some cases wearing make-up or inappropriate
dress.
IKWRO believes the British government does not have a
proper national strategy to deal with honour-based violence.
Though it believes awareness of the issue has increased in
recent years, police, teachers, social workers and other
professionals "still don`t really understand it".
A spokesman for the Home Office interior ministry said:
"We are determined to end honour violence and recognise the
need for greater consistency on the ground to stop this
indefensible practice..."
PTI