Shakti Women's Aid

Some families/communities abuse women, saying it is because they want to protect the family or community ‘honour’ or ‘izzat’.

They may say that if women do certain things, they are going against the family or community culture or religion. Examples are:

• Having a relationship with someone.
• Refusing a forced marriage.
• Wearing make-up or certain clothes or socialising in a way which the family/community disapproves of.
• Being, or coming out as, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex.

‘Honour-based’ abuse is domestic abuse.

What it can involve:

• Harming a woman physically and sexually.
• Controlling and isolating her (and other emotional abuse).
• Forcing her to marry.

If this is happening to you or someone you know, contact Shakti immediately. You can also phone the police.