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2018 Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research
doi: 10.1108/jacpr-09-2017-0320
The purpose of this paper is to examine responses by police and Adult Social Care to honour based abuse (HBA) victims who have a diagnosed or perceived vulnerability, such as a physical disability or mental health issue. The aim is to improve professional practice in ensuring vulnerable victims are safeguarded.Design/methodology/approachFindings are drawn from 100 HBA investigations (2012-2014) derived from classified police electronic records and interviews with 15, predominantly specialist, public protection police officers in one UK force.FindingsHBA against vulnerable adults is an obscure crime area. In cases of diagnosed vulnerability (3 per cent), police officers wrongly attributed “freewill” and choice to vulnerable adults who legally lacked the capacity to consent to marriage. Conversely, in 9 per cent of cases where victims were depressed and/or self-harming, perpetrators exaggerated the poor mental health of victims in order to discredit them to law enforcement. Professionals illogically latched onto perpetrator explanations and in turn undermined and problematised the victims.Research limitations/implicationsThere is limited access to data on vulnerable adult abuse, making this an under researched area of crime.Practical implicationsFailing to undertake risk assessments, or record whether the victim is legally vulnerable should lead to a review of police practice. An evaluation of joint working arrangements is necessary concerning which agency (police or Adult Social Care) should take primacy.Social implicationsVulnerable adult victims were retained in risk predicaments alongside perpetrating family members.Originality/valuePolice officers suggesting vulnerable adults can “consent” to marriage is a new concept, along with issues of goal displacement which illustrates avoidance behaviours by professionals and under protection by the state.
Gangoli, Geetanjali; Gill, Aisha; Mulvihill, Natasha; Hester, Marianne
2018 Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research
doi: 10.1108/jacpr-09-2017-0323
The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of and barriers to reporting female genital mutilation (FGM) by victims and survivors of FGM to the police in England and Wales.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on 14 interviews conducted with adult survivors and victims of FGM. A combination of 1:1 and group interviews were used, based on the preference of the respondents. Respondents were recruited in collaboration with specialist non-governmental organisations and major stakeholders in the area of honour-based violence and black and minority ethnic communities.FindingsA key finding in this research was that all victims/survivors the authors interviewed stated that they did not support the practice of FGM, and that they would not follow it for younger women in their own family. Second, the authors found that none of the respondents had reported their experience to the police. Third, they identified key barriers to reporting, which included: their belief that reporting their own experience would not serve any purpose because they had experienced FGM as children, and in another country; and that they did not feel able to report new incidents of FGM in the community because of a lack of trust in the police due to previous negative experiences. Finally, they believed that FGM could be prevented only by work within the community, and not through engagement with the criminal justice system.Originality/valueThis is, to our knowledge, one of the first papers that is based on victims and survivors’ perceptions that explores barriers to reporting cases of FGM to the police, and offers levers for change.
2018 Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research
doi: 10.1108/jacpr-09-2017-0319
The purpose of this paper is to report on how honour-related violence (HRV) is understood and managed by professionals in Finland, emphasising the need to consider collectivity as an influential factor. Therefore, this paper introduces the concept of “collective violence”. By investigating the level of awareness and recognition of these violence phenomena, this paper discusses both preventative and punitive measures that Finnish authorities are able to work with.Design/methodology/approachA total of 111 Finnish anti-violence professionals completed a survey that aimed to qualitatively investigate their perceptions of HRV and collectivity.FindingsThe findings of this study indicated that collective violence is generally poorly recognised among professionals in Finland. At present, both victim services and criminal justice system lack adequate structures to deal with issues of collective violence. These findings indicate that authorities need further education on HRV and collectivity, as well as debates on whether the criminal code should be amended to meet international requirements.Originality/valueAs this violence has been researched only sporadically in the Finnish context, this study provides new insight to under-researched area of honour-related and collective violence in Finland. These findings may assist other European countries dealing with similar issues as well as guiding preventative and punitive measures within the Finnish context.
Henry, Tri Keah; Hayes, Brittany E.; Freilich, Joshua D.; Chermak, Steven
2018 Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research
doi: 10.1108/jacpr-09-2017-0318
The purpose of this paper is to compare the role honor and shame play in honor killings and anti-LGBTQ homicides by identifying similarities and differences across these two homicide types.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses data from the US Extremist Crime Database (ECDB). Data for each of the incidents included in the ECDB are gathered from various open sources through a multi-stage process. A total of 16 honor killings and 21 anti-LGBTQ cases (i.e. the universe for both groups) are examined in this analysis. A closed-coded analysis technique is utilized to assess each case for evidence of shame and honor as well as an iterative coding process to identify sub-categories within these broader themes.FindingsResults indicate that shame and honor play important roles in both honor killings and anti-LGBTQ homicides, although their influence manifests differently across these two types of homicide. Perceived shame to the family is most closely related to honor killings, while suppressing homosexual urges underlines anti-LGBTQ homicides. Violations of religious tenets, protection of masculinity, and protection of honor are evidenced in both types of homicide.Originality/valueThis study uses a unique database to examine the ideological motivations of individuals who perpetrate extremist crimes in comparison to those who commit honor killings. Findings may inform forensic practices, including rehabilitation and prevention programs.
Lowe, Michelle; Khan, Roxanne; Thanzami, Vanlal; Barzy, Mahsa; Karmaliani, Rozina
2018 Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research
doi: 10.1108/jacpr-09-2017-0324
Although intimate partner violence (IPV) and “honor”-based violence (HBV) are major concerns throughout the world, little research has investigated the acceptance of these forms of abuse outside of the West. The purpose of this paper is to therefore respond to this gap in the literature by exploring attitudes toward HBV in a fictional depiction of IPV across four Asian samples: India, Iran, Malaysia and Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachParticipants (n=579) read a hypothetical scenario in which a husband, despite his own marital infidelity, verbally abuses and physically assaults his wife after discovering that she has been unfaithful. Participants then completed a questionnaire that assessed perceptions of damage to the husband’s honor, approval of intimate partner HBV against the wife, and perceptions of both the victim-wife and the perpetrator-husband.FindingsThe findings revealed that more males than females, across all four nations, were endorsing of honor-adhering attitudes in response to the perceived threat to the husband’s reputation resulting from the wife’s infidelity. Additionally, of the four samples, Pakistani participants were the most approving and Malaysians least endorsing of honor-adhering attitudes.Originality/valueThe results are discussed in relation to studies of honor-adherence in Asian populations. This study provides an original glimpse into the perceptions of intimate partner HBV in these not-often sampled nationalities.
2018 Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research
doi: 10.1108/jacpr-01-2018-0341
The purpose of this paper is to address an emerging international debate about the involvement of females in perpetrating honour-based abuse (HBA). Presenting new empirical data, this study profiles the different roles played by women, discussing them in relation to gender and their relationships to victims, and argues that acknowledgement of female perpetrators does not fundamentally challenge a gendered interpretation of HBA.Design/methodology/approachSome 1,474 case files flagged as HBA were gathered from one police force in Southern England and 50 domestic abuse agencies across England and Wales. Descriptive statistics explored which victim, perpetrator and abuse characteristics were associated with female perpetration. Case narratives were thematically analysed to profile the different roles females played. Findings were explored in eight key informant interviews with caseworkers from the services data came from.FindingsThis paper finds that: females are more involved in perpetrating HBA than other forms of domestic abuse, but primary perpetrators are still mostly male; victims are overwhelmingly female; the context for abuse is the maintenance of patriarchal values on gender roles; female perpetrator roles vary, meriting further exploration; and female perpetrators can be conceptualised within a gendered framework.Originality/valueThis paper presents important new empirical data to advance the debate on the role of women in perpetrating HBA. It will be of interest to academics, researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners alike.
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