March through Liverpool to end honour-based violence
Savera UK has seen a 36% increase in referrals in the last year
There will be a huge march through Liverpool today - calling for an end to honour-based violence.
Honour-based abuse is a crime or incident that's committed to protect or defend the 'honour' of a family or community.
The march will begin at Williamson Square at midday - it will be led by Savera UK, Zonta UK, and Katumba Drumming and Movement, whose performance will echo the message of breaking the silence around honour-based violence and harmful practices like forced marriage, FGM, and conversion 'therapy'.
There will be speeches from Kim Johnson MP, Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell, Dianne Jeans from Zonta UK and Savera UK founder Afrah Qassim.
Survivor stories will be read out and there will be performances from Savera UK Youth and the Wavertree Community Gospel Choir.
The march comes just a couple of weeks after new data from the Home Office showed a 25% decrease in honour-based related offences reported by Merseyside Police in the year ending March 2024.
However, in that same time period, Savera UK has seen a 36% increase in HBA referrals to its service.
Afrah Qassim, Savera UK CEO and founder, said:
"The aim of it (the march) is being out there, is bringing everybody (together) because I think this is a responsibility for everybody and the more we raise awareness, the more people know about honour-based abuse and harmful practices is the more that people will will feel safe to ask for help, feel safe to respond, to be able to challenge.
"We need to break that silence and those stereotypes"
"The aim of the march is to raise those issues, but also to show them that this is nothing to do with culture, nothing to do with religious beliefs, these are violations against human rights and against individuals right to freedom and we really need to respond to them. We need to break that silence and those stereotypes that it's only happened to a specific group or a specific community or specific beliefs. We want to break those different myths.
"Receiving that Home Office data which says that it's (reporting HBA offences) decreased, particularly within Merseyside, but then we see our cases have increased year by year. That's really concerning I think because is that because people still fear reporting? Is it fear of not being understood? Or is it professionals still not able to recognise these fears and are not able to respond to them? Not having the right training or not being able to spot those signs and act on them or respond to them appropriately?
"We are tirelessly campaigning"
"So it's really important that we know that these stats are very small and concerning when we hear that it's decreased, so it's making sure that people really understand that these issues are really serious and we need to act on them and we need to be able to spot those risks the first time people come and see them or seek their help as well, but encourage those who may be at risk is to come forward and not to fear the consequences or fear what would happen or how would that because help is always be there from organisations like ourselves.
We are tirelessly campaigning, we're tirelessly raising awareness. we're tirelessly trying to change the perception but also saying that if somebody is at risk, that they will be seen to, they will be helped and that's how we work."
Dianne Jeans, Area Director for Zonta UK, added:
"Zonta UK is proud to once again be partnering with Savera UK to raise awareness of HBA and harmful practices.
"Zontians are travelling from London, from Scotland and from Ireland to join the march on Saturday 23 November. Zonta is an international organisation which works with the UN globally to address all forms of violence against women.
"Violence against women and girls remains the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violation in the world. In many societies it is an unfortunate daily experience for women and girls. In the UK it is being called a national emergency. Violence is happening at all levels, in all areas of our society. The time for all of us to act – men and women together is now."