Honor-Based Violence

Honor-based violence (HBV) is a crime committed to protect or defend the honor of a family and/or a community. It is usually triggered by the victim’s behavior, which the family and/or community regards as causing offense or dishonor. HBV has existed for thousands of years but has only very recently become a focus of law enforcement, policy makers, and statutory and non-statutory agencies. A volume in the Advances in Police Theory and Practice Series, Honor-Based Violence: Policing and Prevention is designed to assist all those who confront these crimes in understanding what HBV is, how it can be recognized, and how we can support the victims, families, and communities that experience it.

Topics include:

• An overview of what is known about the psychological and cultural factors relevant to understanding of HBV
• Gaps in current knowledge and the strengths and weaknesses of various investigative and management strategies
• Factors related to risk assessment of HBV
• Best practices, based on the authors’ experience, for individuals involved in all levels of policing HBV—from first responders to those involved in strategic management
• How working in partnership with multiple agencies can reduce risk, support investigations, and help protect victims
• The importance of sensitivity toward differences in race, culture, and religion

The research and best practices are drawn largely from the work done by the Violent Crime Directorate of the Metropolitan Police Service (London, UK) managed by authors Gerry Campbell and Glen Lloyd. The accessible style of this text makes it a valuable resource for law enforcement and policing professionals who investigate these crimes and a suitable textbook for policing and criminal justice courses.