Police under-reporting ‘driving force’ of mothers in honour-based violence

Forces are failing to recognise the “massive” role played by mothers in honour-based violence, according to new research. A study of 100 honour-based crimes concluded that mothers are the “driving force” behind honour-based violence after finding them responsible for 64 per cent of all cases involving women. Offenders were found inflicting violence on their pregnant daughters – often in an attempt to induce abortion – and inflicting hard psychological abuse. However, their involvement was not included in the majority of crime reports, often because officers were influenced by the victims’ perceptions. Research conductor Rachael Aplin, from Leeds Beckett University, described the extent of under-reporting as “a real surprise”. She added: “As many victims are children, there is a risk that agencies place them back in their mothers’ care, mistakenly believing that this will ensure their protection. “Law enforcement and social services need to reassess their strategies for dealing with honour-based abuse, taking full account of the role of mothers, to ensure children and young women are not returned to, or remain in, dangerous situations.” Figures obtained by the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation revealed that more than 11,000 honour-based crimes were recorded between 2010 and 2014. However, in parts of the country such as Greater Manchester, just three per cent of reported incidents result in criminal charges. Ms Aplin’s study found that mothers are the most prevalent female perpetrators and are responsible for abuse including physical violence, threats, false imprisonment and intrusive surveillance. They also exploited their daughters’ loyalty to stay beyond the reach of the law. Even in cases where they were explicitly implicated in offences, officers did not identify mothers in crime reports in 12 per cent of cases examined in the study. Ms Aplin suggested this could be because officers struggle to distinguish between mothers as primary offenders and secondary victims forced into complicity. She added that the situation may be more complex than it first appears as some women are forced to co-offend to protect themselves from further violence. Ms Aplin said: “Mothers are perpetrating honour-based abuse in part to conform to social norms and to fulfil what they see as their duty and cultural obligation – but in doing that they may also be acting in self-preservation, as to step outside those norms could put them at risk. “However, this doesn’t change the fact that they are perpetrators of abuse, or at the very least, turn a ‘blind eye’ to it. “There is also a lesson in this for policy makers. Any action to try and end honour-based crimes needs to focus on female as well as male perpetrators, if it is to have any chance of success.” Last month, Hertfordshire police and crime commissioner David Lloyd commissioned research from two universities to learn more about the experiences of victims of honour-based violence. Responses to the survey will inform the local victim’s centre and will contribute to Hertfordshire Constabulary’s domestic abuse action plan.