Taking the Honour Out of 'Honour-Based Violence'

Project Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this research is to deepen understanding of HBV as it occurs within South Asian communities in Canada, recognizing that HBV is shaped by intersecting cultural, gender, migration, and structural factors. While HBV is part of a broader continuum of gender-based violence (GBV), its specific dynamics—including control tied to perceived family honour, collective decision-making, coercion by extended family members, and risks related to transnational ties—require targeted analysis. This project seeks to capture these complexities by centring the voices of South Asian survivors, service providers, and community leaders across the GTA.

1. Conceptualizing ‘Honour-Based Violence’: Establish a comprehensive understanding of HBV by defining its forms, manifestations, and distinguishing features, emphasizing how it differs from other forms of GBV. Highlight its unique social, familial, cultural, and transnational dynamics, and explain why these characteristics necessitate targeted, culturally responsive, and multi-sector interventions.
2. Situating HBV in Social and Cultural Contexts: Examine HBV within South Asian communities in Canada, considering how gender norms, family honor, intergenerational expectations, migration experiences, and transnational influences interact to shape the occurrence, expression, and consequences of violence.
3. Mapping Prevalence and Global Patterns: Analyze Canadian and global data to identify HBV prevalence, distribution, affected populations, and recurring systemic patterns. Highlight structural, cultural, and policy-related barriers that influence reporting, access to services, and prevention, ensuring insights are relevant for the Canadian context.
4. Evaluating Interventions, Programs, and Policy Frameworks: Critically assess Canadian and global HBV interventions, including community-based programs, institutional practices, and legislative frameworks. Evaluate their effectiveness, cultural responsiveness, and adaptability, and identify evidence-informed lessons that can guide trauma- and survivor-centered improvements in Canada.
5. Centering Survivor Lived Experience: Amplify the perspectives of South Asian survivors, including women, youth, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, ensuring their lived experiences shape the research, enhance understanding of HBV dynamics, and directly inform actionable recommendations for culturally safe and effective responses.
6. Integrating Subject Matter Expertise: Draw on the insights of frontline workers, healthcare and legal professionals, educators, and community advocates to understand systemic challenges, service delivery gaps, and effective strategies for prevention, intervention, and long-term survivor support.
7. Developing Culturally Informed Training Tools: Create a trauma- and survivor-centered train-the-trainer module that equips frontline workers and service providers with culturally competent, evidence-based tools to recognize, prevent, and respond to HBV effectively, strengthening frontline capacity across sectors.
8. Producing Actionable, Equity-Focused Recommendations: Translate research findings into practical guidance for governments, policymakers, law enforcement, academics, frontline workers, service providers, and community organizations, enhancing HBV prevention, early intervention, multi-sector coordination, and survivor support through culturally safe, inclusive, and intersectional approaches.