New measures to target ‘honour-based’ abuse are in Leeds victim Fawziyah's memory
The heartbroken family of a pregnant Leeds lawyer, who was pushed to her death from Arthur’s Seat, have welcomed new Government measures to crack down on so called “honour-based” abuse.
Fawziyah Javed was 17 weeks pregnant when she was murdered by her abusive husband Anwar.
He lured the 31-year-old on a trip to Scotland before shoving her from the 50ft natural landmark on September 2, 2021.
But she used her dying breaths to tell police that her husband was responsible for her injuries, which helped lead to his successful conviction in Edinburgh’s High Court.
New statutory guidance and a legal definition of honour-based abuse will be brought in to help combat the crime, the Government has said.
The Home Office will pilot a study looking at how widespread this crime is, a community awareness campaign will be launched and teachers, police officers, social workers and healthcare professionals will receive more training under the new policies.
Yasmin Javed, the mother of Ms Javed, said: “As Fawziyah’s mother, I am pleased that the Government has listened to our calls for a statutory definition of honour-based abuse, and that this change has been made in Fawziyah’s memory.
“I hope that this will help many more people affected by honour-based abuse and ensure that the multiple perpetrators of this abuse are properly recognised and addressed.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “All forms of honour-based abuse are devastating crimes that can shatter lives. There is no ‘honour’ in them.
“For too long, these offences have often been misunderstood by professionals, resulting in victims not getting the support they deserve.
“Make no mistake – we will use everything at our disposal to make sure perpetrators face justice and victims are protected.”
Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: “These crimes can cause unimaginable, long-lasting physical and mental pain for their victims.
“They have no place in our society and we must do everything we can to put a stop to them.
“This starts with a clearer definition of the crime and guidance backed in law so that the Government, law enforcement and the voluntary sector can work hand-in-hand to give victims the support they deserve.
“It is also vital that we understand the true scale and nature of these crimes in England and Wales.
“This will enable us and our partners to help make sure that more victims are protected and more perpetrators face time behind bars.”