This legal guidance sets out how prosecutors should apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors (the Code) when considering any offences which fall within the definition of So-Called Honour Based Abuse (SCHBA) (or “Honour” Based Abuse).
Country: UK
Breast ironing: A Clandestine Variant of Gender-based Violence in Africa
This review article examines the phenomenon of breast ironing within the broader context of GBV in Africa, exploring its prevalence, sociocultural roots, health consequences and societal implications, prevention challenges and strategies for intervention.
Understanding Witchcraft, Spirit Possession and Ritualistic Abuse

A document that helps you to understand the issues, as well as what to do if you think someone is at risk
FGM Legislation in the UK – Infographic
A one-page infographic that highlights the key pieces of legislation in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This includes information on Mandatory Reporting Duties, FGM Specific Laws and the Serious Crime Act 2015.
‘It’s only a tradition’: making sense of eradication interventions and the persistence of female ‘circumcision’ within a Swedish context
This paper questions why female circumcision (FC) persists despite eradication interventions and the migration of people to non-practising countries and discusses the reasoning of Somali immigrants on female circumcision.
Female genital mutilation/cutting: a statistical overview and exploration of the dynamics of change.
The report explores: FGM/C as a human rights violation; social dynamics of FGM/C; national and regional prevalence, when and how the practice is performed, Prevailing attitudes towards the practice, The relationship between the experience of FGM/C, attitudes towards the practice and behaviour and implications of the findings for policy and practice.
A realist synthesis of controlled studies to determine the effectiveness of interventions to prevent genital cutting of girls.
Review of the effectiveness of anti-FGM/C interventions, applying a realist perspective. Some interventions’ acceptability and success rested on the incorporation of FGM/C abandonment efforts within a larger set of related issues. However, greater success of the interventions could have materialised with systematic pre-planning involving thorough community analyses and securing religious leaders’ commitment to halting FGM/C.
Commissioning Services To Support Women and Girls with FGM
This document sets out some key considerations when embarking upon the process to commission services to support FGM survivors. It reflects the standards and characteristics which have developed where commissioning in this area has been successful and sets out particular elements which should either always be considered or provided.
Female genital mutilation: a family practitioner’s perspective (Subscription to journal required)
Discusses female genital mutilation (FGM) in relation to family lawyers. Argues that although FGM may not cross the paths of family lawyers on a daily basis, they need to be aware of it in order to help minimise risk and ensure that the court has sufficient information to understand and adjudicate on the issues.
Ending female genital mutilation: where do we stand in Europe?
This report provides an update on the European situation in relation to the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). It also gives an overview of action to date taken within the European Union (EU) to end FGM and recommends an EU action plan on FGM as well as a strategy on violence against women.