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What are Forced Marriages and Honour Crimes?
A forced marriage is a marriage conducted without valid consent of one or both parties. It can involve emotional pressure from family members who insist that rejection of this marriage partner would bring shame to the family. Forced marriages can involve arrangements for a marriage made (perhaps abroad) without the intended bride being told the purpose of the trip. Forced marriages are a crime in the UK and the UK government can also assist UK citizens who have or suspect they will be taken out of the country to be forced to marry.
Crimes committed in the name of honour have nothing to do with honour and are to be treated as the serious crimes they are. So called 'honour crimes' are committed by family members or extended family/community members in the belief that the victim as brought dishonour on the family/community. The crime can consist of threats to kill, assault, rape and murder. The victim can be at very high risk and it is important that they get the help they need from services with specialist knowledge.
Who should I contact?
9 Cathedral Road
Cardiff
CF11 9HA
Tel: 02920 644633
info@bawso.org.uk
- Refuge - Safe house for women victims of domestic violence from black or ethnic minority communities and their children. BASWO provides emotional and practical support to women in refuge.
- 24 hour Help Line - BAWSO maintains a 24 hours help line, which provides support at all times, day or night, 365 days of the year.
- Advice Centre - BAWSO operates on an Open Door Policy, which means that if our refuge is full or unable to meet individual needs, every effort will be made to put the woman in contact with another agency, which is able to respond quickly and appropriately to her specific requirements. BAWSO also provide advice on housing, Welfare Rights, Health, Education and Legal.
- Childcare Services - Childcare Support Workers do a variety of work with the children individually and in groups. BAWSO also work closely with schools, Social Services, health services and other children's organisations.
- Outreach & Resettlement Work - Outreach/Resettlement Workers assist women to resettle into the community after staying in the refuge.
- Floating Support - Support is provided in the following areas such as benefits, immigration, resettlement support, life skills, and disputes with neighbours, budgeting, welfare benefits, education, training and general counselling. The scheme aims to ensure that Black & Ethnic Minority women are given every chance to successfully maintain their tenancy and live independent lives.
- Language Support - Supports women with no or little English language in terms of communication and to understand the issues that are relevant to their lives and enable the women to understand their rights and to support them in seeking help from outside agencies that will improve the quality of their lives.
Specialist BME Independent Domestic Violence Advocate - Provides support and advice on court procedures and can accompany women to court. They provide advice and information on other services such as benefits and housing. They can provide a risk assessment and safety planning.
16 Moira Terrace, Adamsdown, Cardiff, CF23 6HE
Tel: 02920 460566
- Refuge - Safe house for women victims of domestic violence and their children. All residents receive support from allocated specialist workers covering issues such as housing, safety, prosecution/criminal/civil justice options, advocacy, emotional support, health, debt/finances and education/training/ employment.
- Emergency Call Out - Out of hours emergency telephone service - providing advice, information and access to safe accommodation
- Crisis intervention - Confidential appointment & drop-in service close to the city centre. Support includes safety planning, housing options, target hardening, advocacy, police/criminal justice liaison, emotional support and referrals.
- Crisis intervention tenant support - Support for up to 4 weeks in client's home or other appropriate venue within the community. The service is available 24 hours a day and provides a crisis response where there is an imminent risk of domestic abuse.
Email:info@hennafoundation.org
- Support Service - Advice, support, sign posting and advocacy to vulnerable individuals and families that are faced with social pressures, isolation and the difficulties and challenges of family and community life.
- Court Work - Civil & criminal case appointments to undertake Honour Based Violence and forced marriage (specialist) case assessments.
- Muslim Family Values Project - assisted and directed by Islamic scholars Shaykh'Abd Allah bin Bayyah, Shaykh Hamza Yousuf & Shaykh Habib Ali al-Jifri.
For assistance from the UK government call: 020 7008 0151 (or 0044 20 7008 0151 if you are overseas).
