What Is Honour-Based Violence (HBV)?

 

Honour-Based Violence (HBV) is a form of abuse committed to protect or restore a family’s or community’s perceived “honour.” It occurs when an individual is punished for behaviour that is seen as bringing shame—often linked to choices about relationships, marriage, sexuality, lifestyle, or personal independence.At its core, HBV is about control. It is driven by rigid beliefs about how people should behave and who they should obey. When someone is seen as stepping outside those expectations, violence or coercion is used to enforce conformity.HBV can affect people of any gender, age, or background. However, women and girls are disproportionately targeted.

 

What Does Honour-Based Violence Look Like?

 

HBV is not a single act—it is a pattern of abuse that can include:

- Physical violence: assault, restraint, confinement, or severe punishment,

- Psychological and emotional abuse: threats, intimidation, surveillance, and isolation

- Forced marriage: being pressured, coerced, or deceived into marriageSexual violence: including assault or exploitation

- Financial abuse: controlling access to money, education, or work

- Restrictions on freedom: monitoring movements, limiting contact with others

- So-called “honour” killings: in extreme cases, murder justified by perpetrators as restoring honour

 

These abuses are often planned, collective, and carried out by people the victim knows and trusts.

 

Key Characteristics of HBV

 

It is usually perpetrated by family members or community figuresIt may involve multiple perpetrators acting togetherIt is rooted in control, punishment, and fear, not care or protectionIt is often hidden, under-reported, and misunderstood

 

What HBV Is Not

- It is not a religious requirement.

- It is not a private family matter.

 

HBV is a serious violation of human rights and a criminal offence. No belief system, custom, or value ever justifies violence or coercion.

 

Why Does Honour-Based Violence Occur in Certain Cultures?

 

HBV occurs in contexts where family reputation is seen as more important than individual rights. In some communities, a person’s behaviour—especially a woman’s—is viewed as reflecting directly on the entire family or group.Key factors include:

 

- Patriarchal structures: where men are seen as guardians of family honour and women’s behaviour is tightly controlled

- Collectivist social norms: where loyalty to family or community outweighs personal freedom

- Strict gender roles: expectations about modesty, obedience, marriage, and sexualityFear of social exclusion: families may use violence to avoid gossip, shame, or loss of status

- Misuse of tradition or religion: beliefs are distorted to justify control, even though no major religion supports HBV

 

It’s important to stress that culture does not cause HBV—people do. HBV results from power, control, and inequality. Many individuals and organisations within affected communities actively challenge and work to end it.

 

In Which Countries Does HBV Occur?

 

Honour-Based Violence is a global issue. It occurs in many parts of the world and also within migrant and diaspora communities.HBV has been reported in regions including:

- Parts of South Asia (e.g. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)

- The Middle East (e.g. Iraq, Jordan, Syria)

- North and East Africa (e.g. Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia)

- Parts of Central Asia and the Caucasus

- Some areas of Southern and Eastern Europe

 

It is also present in countries such as the UK, Canada, the US, Australia, and across Europe, where victims may be at risk within extended family or community networks.Again, this does not mean that most people in these countries or cultures support HBV. The vast majority do not. HBV is practiced by a minority and is widely opposed by activists, professionals, and community leaders worldwide.

 

Why Understanding HBV Matters?

 

Professionals, organisations, and communities play a critical role in identifying risk, responding appropriately, and safeguarding those affected. Understanding HBV helps prevent harm, challenge harmful norms, and ensure victims are supported without judgement or blame.Everyone has the right to live free from fear, control, and violence—and to make their own choices about their life, body, and future.