HONOUR crimes will come under scrutiny in a series of official investigations following Shafilea Ahmed's inquest.


An online inquiry to determine the scale of forced marriages and domestic violence in Britain was launched by the Home Affairs Select Committee last week, after a coroner ruled the 17-year-old from Warrington had been murdered.

MPs hope victims will be able to talk about abuse because of the internet's anonymity.
Lancashire police will also investigate so-called honour crimes with community leaders as part of finding ways to protect victims.

Shafilea's MP, Helen Southworth, who is backing the investigations, said: "Shafilea Ahmed's murder is an appalling loss for everyone who loved her.

"Nothing can bring her back but we must do better to help other vulnerable young people. We must be very clear that nobody should be being forced into marriage." Ms Southworth is behind a private member's bill to support runaway children.

Statistics suggest 12 women die each year from honour killings but police suspect there are many more. Honour crimes are thought to claim 5,000 lives a year, in 54 countries around the world, including Britain.

Mussarat Zia, who works for Lancashire Police's hate crimes division, specialising in honour crimes, said: "People don't want to talk about honour crimes, they want to sweep it under the carpet."

Vivien Mumford, from Lancashire's Crown Prosecution Service said: "Forced marriage and so-called honour crimes are a fundamental abuse of human rights."

Shafilea, 17, vanished in September, 2003 and her body was found in a stream in the Lake District in February, 2004.


The inquest heard claims she was afraid that a marriage was being arranged for her.