Honour

Honour-related violence is most often directed at girls and women. It occurs most often in communities where the honour of the entire family or even the entire clan is defined by the behaviour and decency of individuals. If an individual acts contrary to expectations or assumptions, this is perceived as bringing shame to the whole family. The aim is to prevent this by controlling and punishing. At the same time, individuals are prevented from being who they are – they are not accepted as themselves.  

In Finland, individuals have the right to make decisions and manage their own affairs. This means that everyone decides personally about what to study, what to do, how to dress, where to live, with whom to spend time and with whom to share one’s own life. If the views of the young person and the parent differ, this causes conflicts, and it is not always possible to resolve these conflicts on your own. You can get help and information from Soputyö (Reconciliation work) of Loisto Setlementti ry and from the Sumer project of the Iraqi Women’s Association (Irakin naisten yhdistys ry). 

The At Home in Finland project has produced a video about honour-related violence which can be viewed in many different languages. Below are videos in the Somali and Arabic languages.