Provide initial response and referral to victims and survivors of honour based abuse

This standard is about providing initial contact and referral to victims and survivors of honour based abuse and assessing their needs and wishes for further support.

The support that is provided at this stage will depend on the needs and wishes of the individual, but it will involve working in ways that build trust.

Workers will need to be able to identify if someone is a potential victim of one or more of these crimes and will need to recognise that these crimes and forms of violence may co-present. 

It involves assessing, with individuals, any further support that they may need, such as referral to independent specialist services and/or other services as required, and potentially referring to Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference with the victim's consent. In some circumstances it may be necessary to balance the rights of the individual to make their own decisions with any risk of harm to the individual and others.

The term `victims and survivors’ is taken to refer to the people to whom you are providing support.

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1. make contact with victims and survivors using discretion and in line with organisational procedures
2. explain your organisation's policy relating to confidentiality and when information must be shared
3. access and interpret your organisation’s information sharing agreements with partner organisations, considering confidentiality across agencies in high-risk honour based abuse cases and who has access to the information
4. identify the range of services which you and your organisation can offer, and of other organisations that may be able to assist
5. seek advice and support from independent local and national specialist support and advocacy organisations around action to be taken, and for independent specialist support and advocacy for the victim.
6. gather information that supports the need to refer victims and survivors to specialist support and advocacy organisations, particularly those specialist and expert in gender based abuse
7. make complete and accurate referrals to independent local and national specialist support and advocacy services and statutory organisation partner agencies following organisational procedures
8. check that all persons accompanying victims and survivors understand their role including interpreters, support workers and others.
9. obtain information from victims on their specific needs in line with organisational procedures
10. listen actively and respond constructively and with empathy to the points made, communicating in a manner which suits the needs and ability of the victims and survivors.
11. take appropriate action where any safety concerns are raised in relation to reporting concerns to the police and social work particularly around potential abduction and child protection  
12. allow victims and survivors to progress at their own pace
13. seek advice and support from an appropriate person if you are unable to meet the needs of the victim and survivor or are unsure about the action that should be taken.
14. encourage individuals to express their views and feelings about their need for further support
15. review, with victims and survivors their needs, welfare and safety and that of any dependents in line with your organisation's procedures.
16. identify whether they have a safety plan in place.
17. work with specialist support organisations and statutory organisations to carry out appropriate, targeted, issue-specific, dynamic and ongoing risk assessment
18. maintain accurate and up to date records of points discussed and the outcomes, in line with your organisation's requirements
19. maintain confidentiality in line with your organisation's policies and procedures
20. support potential victims through the referral process into entitled systems and services in line with your role and responsibilities.
21. work in partnership with other organisations where this supports the needs of potential victims
22. share information with relevant agencies where there is a requirement to do so and in line with organisational procedures
23. follow your organisation’s reporting procedures when a formal referral cannot be made
24. ensure your own safety, discuss with colleagues as appropriate, and seek external counselling, support and supervision in relation to vicarious trauma
25. reflect on and develop your own practice, keeping up to date with emerging policies and practices relevant to your area of work

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1. legal and organisational requirements, relevant to your legal jurisdiction, which relate to providing initial support to victims and survivors and assessing their needs for further support, and their impact for your area of work
2. the role of your organisation and services it provides in supporting victims and survivors
3. the range of services of other organisations that may be able to assist
4. honour based abuse as a form of gender-based violence and the need for a distinct honour based abuse approach
5. forced marriage, which can occur in the context of honour based abuse, and the specific separate legislation, policy responses, civil and criminal justice responses and guidance across the UK jurisdictions
6. how forced marriage interacts with honour based abuse, responses, protective orders, immediate safeguarding steps and understanding of very specific responses needed where honour based abuse is suspected
7. legislation, relevant to your legal jurisdiction, and organisational policies and procedures regarding confidentiality and the disclosure of information
8. organisational requirements related to allowing others to be present in discussions with victims and survivors, and the relative benefits, disadvantages and risks that the presence of others can create
9. the limits of your authority and responsibility, and the actions to take if these are exceeded
10. how to take appropriate action where any safety and wellbeing concerns are raised
11. how to communicate effectively with potential victims including through the use of professionally accredited translators who are not community-connected
12. intersectionality and the associated complexities of the needs of potential victims
13. how to embed cultural humility and exercise cultural competence in your practice
14. that honour based abuse is a form of gender based violence and the importance of a distinct honour base abuse approach.
15. the age assessment process in case of age disputes
16. how to follow appropriate procedures, including safeguarding, where a child is identified
17. how to make complete and accurate referrals to independent local and national support and advocacy services and statutory organisation partner agencies following organisational procedures
18. the impact of crime on victims and survivors and their need for protection, respect, recognition, information and confidentiality
19. how to assess needs of victims and survivors and determine the type of services that are necessary to address them
20. how carry out targeted, issue-specific, dynamic and ongoing risk assessment to determine the safety and wellbeing of the victim/survivor and any dependents
21. the specific risk indicators for honour based abuse
22. the associated risks for potential victims of honour based abuse, modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation and stalking particularly in the context of gender-based violence and abuse and how these risks are related and overlap
23. the ways in which stereotyping and discrimination might affect the assessment of the needs of individuals, and how to guard against this
24. reactions to the experience of crime, and the factors which affect how individuals react to and recover from their experience
25. the organisation's procedures relating to safeguarding
26. the options for supporting individuals and the reasoning processes used in determining the most appropriate options for the individuals concerned
27. how to apply trauma informed practice in your area of work
28. how to share information with relevant agencies where there is a requirement to do so and in line with organisational procedures

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1

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2031

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Current

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Original

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Skills for Justice

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SFJ BE2

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All Occupations across the Justice sector, Crisis Worker, Customs Officers, Education and Training, Government and Related Organisations, Health and Social Care, Health, Public Services and Care, Helpline Workers, HR Staff, Immigration Officers, Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA), Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA), Independent Sexual Violence Advocate, Interpreter, Managers in Justice sector services, Police, Police Community Support Officers, Police Officers, Prison Staff, Probation Staff, Public Service and other Associate Professionals, Public Service Interpreter, Public Service Professionals, Public Services, Public Services Professional, Refugee Worker, Social Worker, Volunteers, First Responder Modern Slavery, First responder stalking, First responder honour based abuse, Independent Human Trafficking Advocate (IHTA), Independent Modern Slavery Advocate (IMSA), Independent Stalking Advocacy /Caseworker (ISA/C)

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3229

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1st responder; Abuse; age dispute; Communities; compulsory labour; Crime; criminal exploitation; Cultures; domestic abuse; domestic servitude; domestic violence; Exploitation; Female Genital Mutilation; FGM; First responder; forced criminality; forced labour; forced marriage; harmful cultural practices; HBV; honour based abuse; honour based violence; human trafficking; initial response; labour exploitation; modern slavery; organ harvesting; Provide; Reduction; Servitude; sexual abuse; sexual exploitation; sexual violence; Stalking; stalking survivor; stalking victim; stalking witness; Support; Survivor; Survivors; Victim; Victims; Violence; Witness

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