Honour-based abuse: Police mark Karma Nirvana Day of Memory
The day commemorates the birthday of Shafilea Ahmed - following her tragic murder 21 years ago
Last updated 14th Jul 2024
Police forces are marking the Karma Nirvana Day of Memory - marking the birthday of Shafilea Ahmed - following her tragic murder 21 years ago.
The 17 year old from Bradford died after her refusal to accept a forced marriage.
The South Yorkshire force say there is no - and cannot be - honour or justification for abusing the human rights of others.
In a post on Facebook, South Yorkshire Police said: "Today (14 July) is Karma Nirvana Day of Memory, which marks the birthday of Shafilea Ahmed who was tragically murdered by her parents at the age of 17 on 14 July 2003, following her refusal to accept a forced marriage.
"Today, we also remember all those who have been lost to Honour Based Abuse and encourage anyone who is concerned that they or someone they know is at risk to report it.
"Honour Based Abuse (HBA) is a crime or incident committed in order to protect or defend the honour of a family or community – it can happen to women, men and children.
"There are many perceived behaviours, attitudes or actions that are believed to constitute dishonour, including inappropriate make-up or clothing, smoking, running away from home, pregnancy outside of marriage, rejecting a forced or arranged marriage and interfaith relationships, to name a few.
"Individuals, families and communities can take drastic steps to preserve or defend their honour, which can, at its worst, result in murder.
"We work closely with Yorkshire-based national charity Karma Nirvana who are specialists in providing support to victims of HBA. Their helpline - 0800 5999 247 - is available Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm."
You can report HBA to the police online or by calling 101.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, always call 999.
If you can’t speak, the operator may ask you to press some buttons on your phone or cough, something that lets them know you are listening. They will then ask you to press ’55’ – this is the Silent Solution.
You can find out more about support organisations in relation to honour-based abuse on the South Yorkshire Police website.
You can also read more about her story on the West Yorkshire Police website.