Banaz Mahmod, a young Iraqi Kurdish woman, was murdered in London in 2006 in an honor killing ordered by her father and uncle. The document discusses failures in how UK authorities responded to domestic violence cases involving Middle Eastern women. It notes a police lack of cultural awareness, unhelpful interpreters, and failures by medical professionals to follow guidelines. Support for victims after fleeing abuse is also inadequate, with poor housing and a lack of mental health services leaving women isolated and distressed. Training for police, interpreters, and medical staff is needed to better assist these vulnerable women.

1. +
“Why don‟t”
you go”
home?”
State responses to
domestic violence against
Middle Eastern women
Joanne Payton

2. +
Banaz Mahmod
Victim of „honour‟ killing on 24th January 2006.
Her father Mahmod Mahmod, her uncle Ari
Mahmod, her cousin Omar Hussein and
Mohammad Hama and Mohammad Saleh, two
of her uncle‟s associates, were found guilty of
the murder.

3. +
Banaz: Two encounters
 New Year‟s Eve 2005
 Dismissed as hysterical
 Allegations shared with family
 Proposed charge with criminal
damage
 Follow-up visit without privacy
 No referral
 Lack of comprehension Heshu Yunes Fadime Sahindal
One of the first murders described as an
 Day before murder „honour‟ killing in Europe was that of
 Insufficient understanding of Turkish Kurd Fadime Sahindal in
risk/risk escalation Sweden; the first in the UK was that of
Iraqi Kurd Heshu Yunes.
 Flagging/communication failure

4. +
Methodology
Trust and rapport Data gathering
 Aim: Evaluation of state
responses to ME survivors of
domestic/family violence
 3 focus groups
 Farsi/Dari (Iran, Afghanistan) 3
participants
 Kurdish (Iran, Iraq) 7
participants
 English (Caseworkers) 5
participants
 Interpretation issues
 Sensitivity to vulnerable group
IKWRO Caseworker.

5. +
Police: Low awareness
 Lack of awareness and training
in cultural issues
 Lack of sensitivity
 Unclear procedures
 Unhelpful with women‟s
property
 Gold
 Passports and other
documentation

6. +
Interpreters: „That‟s what she said‟
 Lack of trust by client group
 Little respect for confidentiality
 Low professionalism
 Low knowledge of DV
 Sensitivities of client group  Needs
around rape and gender
 Training in DV for interpreters
 Under-regulation  Reform of codes of conduct
and disciplinary action

7. +
Failures in (general) practice
 Failure to follow BMA guidelines
 Using interpreters from within
the family
 Diagnosing mental health
disorders without unmediated
contact with patient
 Low availability for recording
assaults
 All the above causing problems
wrt. ILR and custody

8. +
Help to move on
 Housing
 Poor housing provision,
especially in London
 Long-term stays in shelters,
exposing vulnerable women
to chaotic surroundings
 Care
 High levels of psychological
distress and psychosomatic
illnesses
 Low availability of counselling
 Isolation

9. +
Joanne Payton
Information and Research Officer
Iranian and Kurdish Women‟s Rights Organisation
www.ikwro.org.uk
www.stophonourkillings.com
joanne.payton@gmail.com
07892 679472