Safeguarding victims: Prevention and Protection in Practice Forced Marriage & ‘Honour’ Crimes
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2009 – FREE CONFERENCE
Open to Public & Voluntary Sector Service Providers & Community Activists
Tuesday 17th March 2009 at City Hall, Cardiff, Wales.
Invited speakers include:
* Nazir Afzal O.B.E. – Director, Crown Prosecution Service
* Chief Constable Brian Moore – Wiltshire Police
* Anne Marie Hutchinson O.B.E. – Dawson Cornwall Solicitors
* Ratna Dutt O.B.E. – Chief Executive, Race Equality Foundation (TBC)
* Commander Steve Allen- Association of Chief Police Officers
* Neelam Bhardwaja – Corporate Director, Cardiff Council
* Councillor J udith Woodman – Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council
* Sarah Russell – Head of Forced Marriage Unit, Foreign & Commonwealth Office
International Women’s Day conference 2009 is themed around prevention and protection of Forced Marriage & ‘Honour’ based violence. Henna Foundation will launch the National on-line Forced Marriage & ‘Honour’ Based Violence Directory & Toolkit, a project funded by the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
In November 2008, Ministry of Justice launched the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 and the Forced Marriage Statutory Guidance – with this came legal obligations upon public services and those commissioned to deliver services on their behalf, to ensure that all the necessary checks and balances are in place to ensure that victims and potential victims from Forced Marriage are protected from harm. The conference programme will focus on delivering an interactive knowledge gaining experience where attending delegates will gain practical awareness and knowledge from professionals who have made use of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 to safeguard victims.
Families of ethnic minority backgrounds are not a homogenous group and vary in degree of how they socially operate and integrate with the wider British society. Familial functions of some ethnic minority communities are led by indefensible notions of honour (izzat) and shame (sharam) and controlled by patriarchal traditions where gender specific roles and expectations regulate how families should live their lives. While families are committed and dedicated to working hard to care and provide for their families, there are equally a minority steadfast in ensuring their family status remains ‘honourably’ upheld and respected. When traditional conventions of family ‘honour’ codes’ are at risk of being compromised, this can lead to tension within families, and in extreme cases spill over into honour based violence, forced marriages, abandoned wives, child abduction to forced imprisonment isolation, depression, loneliness and withdrawal. In worst-case scenarios, matters can further escalate causing significant risk, harm and even loss of life.
Victims of honour-based violence are like the families they come from, emotionally bound (socially conditioned to accept it as a social norm) to the practice of ‘honour’. Their minds work around perception and what ‘others’ will think of them and often so overwhelmed with the guilt factors of ‘honour’ and shame, they internalise, even downplay the risks they face. Self-priority to safeguard their lives becomes secondary. Victims and families tormented at the hands of this practice need to believe that gender rights are God given human rights and be made aware that suffering the wrath of ‘honour’ abuse and violence in the familial home is unlawful, a crime and “not their shame”.
CONFERENCE OBJ ECTIVES & BENEFITS OF ATTENDING
* Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007: The protection in practice
* Launch of the on-line Forced Marriage & HBV directory & toolkit
* Increasing trust & confidence of victims at risk of Forced Marriage & HBV
* Boost knowledge capacity & confidence of practitioners & support workers in the case handling of forced marriages and ‘Honour’ abuse
* Present best practice methods to improve current work practices and services to adequately protect victims from Forced Marriage and Honour’ related abuse and violence.
* Solutions focus; early intervention & prevention; Bridging the communication & generational gap between parents & young people
* Networking, information sharing, widening access & directory of services; delegates will have the opportunity to exchange discussions with internationally recognised professionals and champions in this field.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
* Front line Practitioners and Policy Officers;
* Cardiff Council staff, managers and elected members;
* Government and Local Authority departments;
* Police, CPS, Community Safety Officers, Domestic Violence Officers, Youth Offending Services, Probation Officers;
* Health & Social Care staff: social workers, health visitors, midwives, family liaisons, counselling services and other health workers. Education; Primary & secondary school Head teachers, University & Higher Education staff, Youth workers, Welfare education officers;
* Voluntary and Community Sector; Women’s Aid, Refuge services, Children & family services (inc faith groups & institutes);
* Law agencies (Inc Magistrates, Judges, Court workers, Solicitors, Barristers and Registrars).
CONDITIONS
* Delegate Fees: This event is FREE.
* All delegates are required to complete registration form.
* Places are limited; allocations will be made on a first come first served basis
* Please note this event is FREE; but registered non-attendees will be charged £60.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Equalities Team
Cardiff Council
Room 356
County Hall
Atlantic Wharf
Cardiff
CF10 4UW
Email: hbvconference@cardiff.gov.uk
Tel: Henna Foundation (029) 2049 8600 / (029) 2049 6920
