Data published by the Home Office today has revealed a 7 per cent increase in ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) related offences and a 13 per cent increase in HBA-related incidents reported to police in England and Wales.

According to the statistics, to the year ending March 2025, there were 2,949 HBA related offences, up from 2,755 last year. The number of HBA-related incidents* also increased from 1,810 to 2,047.

Of all HBA-related offences, 109 were female genital mutilation (FGM) (vs 111 last year) and 125 were forced marriage, down from 201 last year.

In Merseyside, where Savera UK operates its direct intervention service, there was a 16 per cent decrease in HBA-related offences, but a 14 per cent increase in HBA-related incidents, and in Cheshire, where the direct intervention team also works, there was a 27 per cent increase in HBA-related offences. Only five HBA-related incidents were recorded in Cheshire, up from zero the previous year. 

Analysis of the data suggests that the overall increase in offences has been driven by a 35 per cent increase in those recorded by the Metropolitan Police Service following the implementation of their new crime recording system in February 2024. Conversely, HBA-related incidents recorded by South Yorkshire Police fell from 233 to 64, due to a change in their local processes in recording HBA incidents.

The number of HBA-related offences recorded by police in England and Wales has fluctuated between 2,755 and 3,008 over the last five years, with trends affected by challenges in data collection, changes in crime recording practices, identification of what constitutes HBA and the willingness of survivors and those at risk to report to police.

Savera UK CEO and Founder, Afrah Qassim, said: “The data published today is a stark indicator of the vital need for significant improvement in data collection regarding HBA and harmful practices and the urgent need for a statutory definition for HBA, which alongside sector partners and the government we are working to create. 

“Such a definition would mean better identification by police, improved protection of survivors, accurate data collection and more consistent reporting, which in turn leads to appropriate resource allocation through informed decision-making.

“Today’s figures also only show those offences and incidents reported to police, and only forces in England and Wales. They do not include data on referrals made into specialist services like Savera UK, so are not a true indicator of the scale of the issue.

“For example, to the year ending March 2025 in Merseyside and Cheshire, only 55 HBA-related offences and 262 HBA-related incidents were reported. In the same period, Savera UK, which is just one service in the sector addressing these issues, directly helped 339 clients, had 293 new referrals (including 94 from Cheshire) and received 677 calls to its helpline and via its online referral channels.

“Consider this difference multiplied over the other services around the UK who are helping people affected by HBA and harmful practices, and the disparity becomes clear. As well as a statutory definition, there needs to be a collaborative and centralised process for collecting not just police data, but also data compiled by specialist services working on the frontline.

“HBA is complex and nuanced and also frequently interplays with a host of other harmful practices, not solely FGM and forced marriage which are identified in this data. It is also vital that within the statutory definition and guidance, other harmful practices,  like conversion ‘therapy’ and spiritual abuse, are recognised and accounted for.

“This would allow us to realise the true scale of the issue and ensure that survivors/those at risk do not fall through the gaps that may be left if harmful practices are not fully integrated into any definition/guidance. 

“Much progress has been made over the past five years in collection and reporting of this data, but there is still more work to be done if we are to better understand HBA and harmful practices, where they happen and how, and work to end them for good.”

*These cover incidents reported to the police that, following investigation, do not amount to an offence according to the National Crime Recording Standard.