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'Honour' killings plan does not go far
enough in UK: Women's rights group
8.3.2011
By Rachel Williams |
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Some
police officers, teachers and social workers still
do not understand the problem, organisation claims
March
8, 2011
LONDON, — New
government plans for tackling violence against women
and girls will not go far enough to help victims of
"honour" violence, campaigners have claimed.
The Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation
said there were not enough proposals to protect
women attacked or threatened by family members. It
added that its workers regularly came across police,
teachers, social workers and other professionals who
still did not understand the problem.
The action plan will outline the government's next
steps after publication of a strategy document in
November calling for an end to violence against
women.
It is expected to recommend developing police
training.
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Diana Nammi, from the Iranian And Kurdish Women's
Rights Organisation. Photo: Linda Nylind for the
Guardian |
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programmes on sexual and domestic
violence, including so-called honour-based violence,
and continuing specialist training for prosecutors
in violence against women
The government will also announce funding of
L600,000 to help develop four centres supporting
victims of rape and sexual violence. These will be
run by Rape Crisis in Trafford, Hereford and Exeter,
and by the Survivors Trust in Bournemouth.
Last year's document said recent immigrants should
be better informed about their right not to face "honour"
violence. for behaviour deemed to have "shamed"
their family or community, and where they could get
support.
But IKWRO said a wider number of professionals
needed better training, including teachers and
social workers. "Every single day girls and women in
the UK are locked up, threatened, beaten,www.ekurd.netforced
into marriage and even murdered by their families in
the name of so called 'honour'," Diana Nammi, from
the group, said. "While promising to increase
training for police and prosecutors, the new action
plan does not do enough to protect these vulnerable
women and girls.
"The government is talking about rolling out
training promised three years ago, but what it
really needs is a national strategy to get to grips
with this problem."
In 2009 police recorded over 250 incidents of "honour"-based
violence in London alone. IKWRO, which took 1,500
calls on its advice line last year, said it
suspected there were thousands more cases across the
country.
A Home Office spokesman said: "Honour based violence
is unacceptable and has no place in our society. We
are determined to tackle it and all other forms of
violence against women and girls.
"The government will continue to raise awareness of
honour based violence and work hard to ensure that
victims are aware of their rights and the support
available to them."
Copyright, respective
author or news agency,
guardian.co.uk
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