Honour based abuse
Honour based abuse is a collection of practices used to control behaviour within high-control families in order to protect perceived cultural or religious or community beliefs and/or honour.
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Click to find out more about motivations and warning signs
Are you being shamed by members of your family or your community for trying to make free choices? Is someone you know struggling with HBA?
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Has this eroded your/their self-confidence?
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Are you feeling pressure to conform to your culture, religion or community?
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Is family loyalty or scripture being used to pressure you into giving up free choices?
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Are your family members:
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controlling your actions
2. access to financial resources
3. ability to travel, commute, or associate with others
4. subjecting you to physical or emotional abuse?
Honour Based Abuse takes many forms. Learn to identify the warning signs.
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This is how we can help
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Our “Accompaniment Program” works in two ways:
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We offer trained mentors, some of whom have emerged from similar experiences, to support you by listening without judgement and talking you through the options you are considering. They can also signpost you to emergency services. These accompaniment officers/ mentors will also give you the option to join group sessions we host where individuals on similar journeys can share coping mechanisms and ways that help them move forward.
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We create a safe space with no judgement using optional activities that create an environment full of laughter and lightness, using movement therapy, craft or art, mindful nature walks, natural dye and foraging sessions, and rock-climbing sessions (just examples) on our “Unfurl” programs.
How we can support you
You are assigned a mentor who will also serve as your accompaniment officer. Mentoring is verbal support, most often in the form of a series of conversations either online, by telephone or in person. Accompaniment is physical, if you need to take a walk, or have someone sit through a difficult appointment or show up to support you through a court date, we try to be with you. We listen without judgement to the issues you are grappling with.
We walk you through your options and help you think about consequences, so you are empowered with the right information, and you can make your own decisions. When you are raised in a high control family or community where you are told what to do every day of your life, you may lack practice in making decisions. We will help you emerge with the confidence and the skills to control your choices.
As accompaniment officers we can walk you to appointments when you feel overwhelmed, help you navigate bureaucracy, help write out your options and their consequences, help you weigh an opportunity.
You will soon move beyond emergency level. We will then move you through your career aspirations, prep for job interviews, find new interests and discover passions/ hobbies that will help you grow as an individual.
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Speak to someone - get help
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Alongside our emergency support, accompaniment and mentoring services, we offer Unfurl workshops that help overcome anxiety and develop focus.
Playful workshops aimed at lightness and laughter though expressing your creativity.
Life skills workshops normalising taboos in an open, understanding and safe space.
Career-guidance workshops tailored to your needs.
Enquire with us about workshops that will unlock your potential, using curiosity, knowledge and imagination!
