'I’ve never met a single psychologist who understands enough about honour killings'

What inspired you to research this area?

It was a news story I heard about an 'honour' killing. A pregnant mother of two had been murdered by her brother at their mother's instruction, and her body was just dumped in an unmarked grave. As a psychology student at the time, I was shocked and immediately wanted to look at the psychological research around 'honour' violence, but there was absolutely nothing there.

It's still quite incredible to me that all these years later, there is still so little psychological research on 'honour' based violence, and that most professionals still admit they don't really understand it. As Professor Nicola Bowes, then Chair of the British Psychological Society, Division of Forensic Psychology, notes, this is a pressing global issue, demanding a comprehensive understanding and effective strategies for intervention.

I wrote the book to fill the gap in our knowledge. It's the first to draw from forensic psychology and related academic disciplines to provide a nuanced understanding of 'honour'-based crimes. It is not just another book on the topic; it highlights how psychology has historically neglected this area, and how the discipline needs to catch up and understand these crimes properly. The book aims to be a resource for professionals working in this area, and to challenge a 'raceless' psychology mandate that doesn't serve minoritised groups effectively.

Your book clearly highlights the complexities of so-called 'honour' based violence. Can you briefly explain what 'honour' abuse is, and what key message you hope readers will take away from your work?

That's a great question. The word 'honour' usually has positive connotations, but in the context of so-called 'honour' abuse, it's used to justify violence, often against women and girls, when family or community members believe there's been a breach of their code of behaviour. It's crucial to understand that the concept of 'honour' is being misused to excuse abuse and violence. We use inverted commas around the term 'honour' to highlight this misuse. While I understand the difficulty of using the word 'honour' around a term of abuse, the criminal justice system, psychologists and the emergency services need to tailor their response to this specific form of violence and so they need a term for it.

However, I do understand there is a risk of diminishing the perpetrators' accountability by having a word like 'honour' attached to their crimes. There's a risk that it diminishes the victim's suffering; that they only did it because the victim behaved in a way that was dishonourable. It's a very complicated term, and we could spend a lot of time talking about language. Just look at old terms like, 'crimes of passion,' or the horrific old term of, 'gentleman rapist'. Language matters, and the misuse of it, or clarity of definitions affects some of the most vulnerable people.

In the book, you highlight that we tend to only focus on cultural factors in cases of 'honour' abuse and therefore miss other psychological variables?

Absolutely! When we focus only on cultural factors, we miss a whole range of other important psychological variables. The problem is, the discipline of psychology hasn't always been very diverse in terms of who does the research and who participates in it, so it has developed a very limited perspective.

A lot of psychology studies have been done by Western academics of European heritage, mainly in the United States, which means it's been developed from a very WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic) perspective, and that's not representative of the global population. Because of this, we end up with a kind of 'womanless' and 'raceless' approach, where cultural factors are overemphasised, and psychosocial factors are overlooked when we're trying to understand 'honour'-based abuse.

This lack of diversity has led to some serious problems. It means there's a massive gap in the research, and that has a direct impact on how professionals work with victims and perpetrators. Because the focus is so myopic, it has also led to the weaponisation of this form of abuse by demonising Middle Eastern and South Asian families and creating a divisive notion of 'us' (non-violent Europeans) and 'them'. Ultimately, the discipline of psychology has created a template of human experience that draws almost exclusively from a WEIRD perspective.

Given this significant gap between research and practice, how has the lack of diversity within psychology itself contributed to the misunderstanding and neglect of 'honour' abuse, violence, and killings?

Because the field has been so dominated by a specific group of (WEIRD) people, it's created a blind spot for other experiences. Much of what we think we know about 'honour' abuse has become distorted, muddied by popular culture and unscientific stories, instead of relying on solid evidence-based research. It's like the discipline has been looking at the issue through a very specific lens, not taking into account how culture and identity really play a part in these situations.

This has led to what we call the culturalisation of psychology, where culture is presented as the only explanation for 'honour' abuse. It's a way of saying, 'Oh, it's their culture', and then not digging any deeper. This makes us completely overlook other crucial factors, things like interpersonal dynamics, self-regulation, and even psychopathology, which are all regularly looked at in other types of family violence.

How does this play out in professional settings, and what are the implications for victims seeking help?

The lack of cultural awareness in professional settings is highlighted in the book's foreword by campaigner and survivor of 'honour' abuse, Payzee Mahmod. Payzee's sister, Banaz, was murdered in an 'honour' killing despite her reporting numerous incidents of rape, violence and death threats to the authorities. Payzee illustrates the importance of cultural awareness in professional practice – we all have a duty to improve and challenge negative, stigmatising attitudes about people with minoritised racial and ethnic identities. To do this we need to diversify the workforce that works with victims and perpetrators. We also need to train professionals in culturally aware interventions for those concerned about 'honour' based violence.

The case of Banaz Mahmod is a stark illustration of how criminal justice professionals and safeguarding agencies failed to make culturally aware or informed decisions when supporting victims. Her story, and many others like it, reveal the multitude of barriers victims of 'honour' abuse often navigate to seek support and protection.

What specific gaps in professional training are most concerning when it comes to supporting victims?

I highlight the importance of cultural awareness in professional practice, by improving knowledge and challenging negative and stigmatising attitudes about people with minoritised racial and ethnic identities.

To do this, we need to diversify the workforce that works with victims and perpetrators. We also need to train professionals in culturally aware interventions for those concerned about 'honour' based violence.

As the book notes, psychological science must include diverse editors, writers, and participants in the research process precisely because underrepresented psychological scientists might be most willing to examine the experiences of underrepresented groups.

The latest reports show that forensic psychology is still the least diverse strand of psychology in relation to the number who identify as Black or Asian and this demonstrates the scale of the challenge. We need to create a system that is equitable and values cross-cultural and diversity-related understanding, knowledge and skills. This is essential to ensure that professionals are equipped to provide racially unbiased care, support, protection, and justice.

How much has working with survivors with lived experience of 'honour' abuse, shaped your work?

Working with Payzee has been profoundly impactful. As a survivor, she brings an invaluable perspective that has shaped my understanding of the lived realities of 'honour' abuse. Her experiences underscore the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity. The book also includes the perspective of Shaheen Hashmat, an 'honour' abuse and forced marriage survivor. The firsthand personal accounts and detailed case studies interwoven throughout give a voice to victims and bring their real-life stories to the forefront.

I also address the emotional toll of this work. Working with, reading of, and writing about victims of family violence, child abuse, and domestic homicide can consume your thoughts. For many people, this work is a vocation far beyond a career or profession.

Tell us about the HARM network and the charity Halo Project and IKWRO that proceeds from this book will go towards?

I am the founding director of HARM – Honour Abuse Research Matrix. HARM is recognised as the first and only global network leading research, policy, and practice on 'honour' abuse. The proceeds from this book will be donated to the Halo Project Charity and IKWRO (Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation). Both organisations provide vital support to victims and survivors of 'honour' based abuse, and my hope is that this book will play a role in supporting their work.

And finally, what are you hoping readers will take away after reading the book?

Ultimately, I hope it serves as a catalyst for change. The key message I want readers to take away is that the book advocates for a more nuanced and culturally sensitive approach to understanding and addressing 'honour' based abuse, violence, and killings. It's time for forensic psychology to move beyond its historical biases and embrace a more inclusive and equitable framework.

I hope to help readers recognise that so-called 'honour' abuse is a distinct form of family violence that requires specialist understanding. Cultural explanations alone are not enough. Victims must be seen as individuals, not stereotypes. It's time to ensure that professionals are equipped to provide racially unbiased care, support, protection, and justice.

This book is the first step in that direction.

• The Psychology of Honour Abuse, Violence, and Killings is published by Routledge.