Honour-based abuse is defined as a crime or incident which has or may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and / or the community.

Honour-based abuse can affect both men and women, and cuts across a number of cultures and communities. It is closely associated with domestic abuse and child protection matters.

Issues such as dress, choice of friends, relationships with members of the opposite sex and career choice among others could all impact on a family's honour and therefore violence and abuse can occur when perpetrators perceive that a relative has shamed the family and/or community by breaking their honour code. This is honour-based abuse.

There are many examples of how honour-based abuse can impact on someone's life including being isolated from local communities, not being allowed independence, forced into marriage or under duress from their family.

In every case police have a responsibility to ensure safety, whether that is by offering advice and prosecuting offenders.

Honour based abuse and forced marriages can result in the following:

• Common assault 
• Domestic abuse 
• Forced marriage 
• Cruelty to persons under 16 (including neglect and abandonment) 
• Theft (e.g. passport) 
• Child abduction 
• Abduction of an unmarried girl under the age of 16 from parent or guardian 
• Abduction of a woman by force or for the sake of her property 
• Rape 
• Aiding and abetting a criminal offence 
• Kidnapping 
• False imprisonment 
• Murder

What should I do if I suspect that I or someone I know is a victim of honour-based violence or a forced marriage?

If you believe that you or anyone you know is a victim of either honour-based abuse or a forced marriage, please call Norfolk Constabulary on 101 or 999 if it is an emergency.

Alternatively, you can contact the Forced Marriage Unit on 0207 008 0151

The Forced Marriage Unit is a government unit which exists to help anyone being forced into marriage. It offers confidential support to men, women, boys and girls of all ages and never contacts the families of callers.

The unit can be contacted by phone or email fmu@fco.gov.uk. You can find out more on their website.