Honour based abuse (HBA) is when a person is controlled or punished for doing something their family or community believes is “wrong” according to cultural or religious beliefs or “honour”.

The person might not have actually done anything, but their family or community may believe they have.

It is sometimes called:

• “honour”-based abuse
• honour crime
• dishonour abuse
• honour based violence
• izzat
• This abuse can take many forms. It can be when someone:
• keeps you away from friends and family
• stops you using the phone or internet
• does not let you have documents such as your passport or birth certificate
• controls your movements
• keeps you home with no freedom
• kidnaps you
• forces you to go or move abroad
• forces you to marry
• uses psychological abuse
• uses financial abuse
• uses physical abuse
• uses sexual harassment and sexual assault
• threatens you
• uses violence

Honour based abuse can lead to people being killed.

Police Scotland will use laws that already exist to investigate honour based abuse carefully.

Why honour based abuse might happen

Someone’s family or community might not approve if they:

• dress differently
• behave or think in ways that are different to theirs
• talk to people they don’t want you to
• disagree with them or their religion
• use drugs or alcohol
• go to college or university
• are LGBTQ+
• have a disability
• have a relationship with someone they do not approve of
• date before marriage
• have sex before marriage
• are pregnant or having a baby outside of marriage
• leave your marriage or divorcing
• help someone else they are abusing

If you want to tell us about honour based abuse, you can report it online, by phone, or in person.

Report it using our online form

Learn about other ways you can report a crime to us

If you need help you can:

• report it to us
• ask for an interpreter if you need one
• speak to support organisations, even if you do not want to talk to us