Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Sixth Report - So-called honour-based abuse
Women and Equalities Committee
HC 831
Published 19 July 2023
Recommendations
5
Accepted
Para 38
Set out progress on police and safeguarding professionals' honour-based abuse training
Recommendation
In response to this Report, the Government should set out the progress made in implementing the national training package for frontline police officers on recognising so-called honour-based abuse. The Government must also set out the steps it will take to …
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Government Response Summary
The government states the Department for Education has contracted research to understand the quality of implementation and teacher confidence in teaching statutory requirements related to HBA, with a report due in early 2024. It also notes that HBA is already included in teacher training modules.
Government Equalities Office
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7
Accepted
Para 42
Improve the teaching of honour-based abuse within Relationships, Sex and Health Education settings
Recommendation
The Government is currently reviewing the content of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) taught in schools. It is clear from the evidence we received that the teaching of honour-based abuse is currently inadequate. The ongoing review of RSHE should …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that honour-based abuse is already taught as part of the ‘being safe topic’ in RSHE, with specific teacher training modules covering it. The ongoing RSHE review is assessing whether overall coverage is appropriate and can be strengthened on various topics, but does not specifically commit to improving HBA teaching as part of the review.
Government Equalities Office
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13
Accepted
Para 65
Increase multi-year funding for by-and-for honour-based abuse services via simpler grants
Recommendation
The Government should increase the funding available to by-and-for services that support victims of honour-based abuse. The Government should commit to providing this funding across multiple years. It should also assess the merits of that funding being made available in …
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Government Response Summary
The government highlights existing measures, including the £8.3m VAWG Specialist and Support Services Fund for 2023/24 and 2024/25 and efforts to simplify funding applications for HBA charities, but does not commit to increasing overall funding or providing multi-year funding beyond the current period.
Government Equalities Office
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Conclusions (4)
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 23
There is inconsistency in how data on honour-based abuse offences is collected and recorded by the police. This is partly due to incorrect recording by police officers, either in failing to recognise an offence as honour-based, or in making an inaccurate assessment of the context. There is insufficient information provided …
Government Response Summary
The government recognises the importance of high-quality data and states police are already working with partners to agree national data standards for recording protected characteristics, including ethnicity and race.
3
Conclusion
Accepted
The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department of Education should add options for honour-based abuse to both the ‘primary need at first social work assessment’ and ‘factors identified at the end of the assessment’ categories in the ‘Children in need’ census. (Paragraph 25) Recognising honour-based abuse
Government Response Summary
The government does not address the recommendation to add HBA options to the 'Children in need' census, instead detailing existing e-learning courses and statutory guidance on FGM and forced marriage for professionals.
4
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 37
We welcome the steps taken by the police service in response to the concerns raised in the super-complaint on honour-based abuse brought by Liberty and the Halo Project in 2020. However, there is still more work to be done if victims of honour-based abuse are to feel empowered to report …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of professionals having the right skills and details extensive existing training, e-learning courses, statutory multi-agency guidance, and resource packs provided by the Home Office, College of Policing, and the Forced Marriage Unit to enhance the recognition and response to HBA.
12
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 64
By-and-for services, which are organisations designed and run by and for people who are minoritised, are vital to ensuring victims of honour- based abuse receive the support they need. However, the sector is underfunded, and complex commissioning processes often prevent smaller specialist organisations from competing against generic and larger providers …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the vital work of HBA charities and states it has implemented measures like promoting consortium bidding, extended application times, and launched a £8.3m fund for 'by and for' services, alongside a commissioning toolkit.