Rise in honour crimes blamed on backlogs in family court

THE number of “honour-based” crimes being committed in England is rising, lawyers have warned, with backlogs in the family court system partly to blame.

Figures show the number of such offences recorded by police rose by more than 60 per cent in two years. Honour-based abuse is defined as a crime or incident committed to protect or defend the “honour” of a family or community. People who carry out such abuse are often close family members but are also regularly extended family or members of the wider community.

Data from 26 out of 39 constabularies approached show there were 2,594 cases of “honour-based” abuse – which includes forced marriage, rape, death threats and assault – in 2022, compared with 1,599 in 2020.

Data from 26 out of 39 constabularies approached show 2,594 cases of “honour-based” abuse

The Metropolitan, West Midlands and Greater Manchester police forces recorded the highest rates of honourbased abuse in 2021 and 2022.

Across the two years, the Met recorded 1,213 cases, including 514 cases of violence. There were two attempted murders, 32 rapes, 310 cases of forced marriage and 49 cases of female genital mutilation.

Greater Manchester’s tally of 729 cases included 42 of rape, 65 assaults causing actual bodily harm, 56 forced marriage offences, 104 of assault and battery and 153 instances of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship.

West Midlands recorded 729 cases, including 115 of coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship, 27 of rape, 19 forced marriages and 90 threats to kill.

Imran Khodabocus, a director at the Family Law Company, which sourced the figures, told The Guardian that delays in the family courts were exacerbating the problem.