The Role of Education in Preventing Honour-Based Abuse in England

Honour-based abuse (HBA) is a form of abuse that frequently remains undetected despite its pervasive nature and catastrophic effects. As an act of violence perpetrated predominantly against women and girls, HBA is the overarching term used for abuse inflicted upon victims because they have supposedly dishonoured their family and brought shame to their community. To date, there is a paucity of research that specifically explores the role of education in preventing HBA in England. In seeking to strengthen and advance knowledge in this area, this research aims to gain insights into the perspectives of key participants about the cross-cultural and contested nature of HBA, including the factors contributing to it, the ramifications for local and national policy, and the role of education in preventing HBA in the context of England. This thesis also illustrates how the insidious and invidious practices of HBA continue to be perpetuated toward the most vulnerable within society. Underpinned by a feminist theoretical framework, qualitative analysis was employed to explore how participants perceive how education may contribute to prevention of HBA. The research participants interviewed for this study, over a period of eight months, included four activists, three politicians, one Home Office senior civil servant, four academics, two Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff, and one senior police officer. The semi-structured interviews provided a comprehensive understanding of the significance and meaning that the research participants placed on the role of education in HBA, and HBA prevention. Thematic analysis was undertaken after the data was transcribed and input into NVivo to detect themes, identify codes, and define key themes and underlying subthemes. This analysis uncovered five key themes within this research inquiry. The first theme related to the definitions and practices of HBA and exploring participant perceptions of the elements that contribute to and influence HBA. The second theme identified the origins and perpetuations of HBA. In broad terms, this theme focused on the origins of the cultural practice, identified the trigger factors, and examined the impact of gender and patriarchy in relation to HBA. The third theme was in relation to identification and definition of perpetrators and victims. The fourth theme provided an overview of the positionality of the research participants including their backgrounds, roles, and responsibilities. The fifth theme explored solutions to HBA, including methods of eradication, taking into account interviewees’ views on how to address HBA, and the role of education and government organisations in preventing HBA.
Whilst it was clear that steps have been taken by the State to address the phenomenon of HBA through community initiatives and statutory education, the impact of these initiatives on HBA was limited due to several factors, such as lack of effective training for teachers, community literacy in HBA, race relations within the migrant community, funding constraints, and the multiple viewpoints and experiences due to the intersectional nature of HBA. Weaving through the tapestry of migration, culture, discrimination, gender norms, and societal roles, this research generates new understandings on the role of education in preventing HBA in England by drawing on the views of key participants on policies and initiatives related to HBA.