Forced Marriage, Honour Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation Conference
Conference Report
Image select
In March 2010, the Partnership organised a one day conference for strategic leaders of agencies and practitioners from statutory and voluntary agencies to look at Forced Marriage, Honour Based Violence and Female Genital Mutilation, seeking to improve prevention, support and prosecution. The conference was organised by the Gloucester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, including officers from Social Services Adult Care, Safeguarding Board, NHS Gloucestershire, Police, Education and the voluntary sector. It hosted a number of speakers from across the UK, including Karma Nirvana, the Forced Marriage Unit of the Home Office, the Department of Children, Schools and Families, Association of Chief Police Officers, Public Protection Bureau, Crown Prosecution Service, Witness Care Unit, Project Azure from the Metropolitan Police, and an FGM/Public Health Specialist from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.
Forced marriage is recognised in the UK as a form of violence against women, domestic/child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights. The Ministry of Justice report “One year on: the initial impact of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007” has identified gaps in provision that need to be addressed and concludes that there is a need for continuing publicity, training and interagency cooperation and whilst there is a need for action there is a need for caution and understanding of the impact on an application under the Act on a young person.
The most recent estimates from the Home Office predict that 24,000 girls are at risk of Female Genital Mutilation in the UK with up to 3 million girls worldwide undergoing Female Genital Mutilation every year. The practice is very harmful and can cause long-term mental and physical suffering, difficulty in giving birth, infertility and even death.
Monitoring Incidents
Following the Forced Marriage, Honour Based Violence and Female Genital Mutilation Conference held in March 2010 by Safer Gloucester Partnership a county sub group has been formed to address these issues from a strategic perspective. The current focus of this sub group is to scope the prevalence of Honour Based Violence, Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation. Please see definitions provided below;
Honour Based Violence (HBV): Honour based violence is a crime or incident, which has or may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and /or community.
Forced Marriage (FM): A Forced Marriage is a marriage in which one or both spouses do not (or in the case of some adults with support needs, cannot) consent to the marriage and duress involved. Duress can include physical, psychological, financial, sexual, emotional pressure.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Female Genital Mutilation includes all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non medical reasons.
In line with International Women's Day, March 8th, the group are launching a monitoring form which they are asking all agencies and members of the public to utilise in order to scope how many incidents of these types there have been historically and are currently in County. The group asks that agencies and members of the public complete this form when they believe and/or suspect that Honour Based Violence, Forced Marriage, or Female Genital Mutilation has occurred in the last 5 years or is of imminent risk. If any of these issues are of imminent risk the group strongly advises that the reporting agency/person informs the police.
See below to access the monitoring form which is available for agencies and individuals use.
All completed forms will be used for monitoring purposes only, NOT referrals. Forms will need to be sent directly to Faye Kamara, Strategic County Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Co-ordinator at faye.kamara@gloucestershire.pnn.police.uk