Two Decades in Hiding: Sister of Honour Killing Victim Fears UK’s Anti-Immigrant Climate Silences Abuse Survivors
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A woman living under a new identity for twenty years, haunted by the “honour” killing of her sister, warns that rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the UK could prevent other victims of abuse from coming forward.
For two decades, Bekhal Mahmod has lived with the constant fear of being discovered, perpetually “looking over my shoulder,” as she described it. Her life irrevocably altered after she testified in 2007 against her father and uncle for the murder of her sister, Banaz Mahmod. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Banaz’s death, a tragedy that continues to fuel a campaign for legislative change in the UK.
The Murder of Banaz Mahmod
Banaz, just 20 years old, was murdered after leaving an arranged marriage and seeking to build a life with a man of her own choosing. She bravely reported escalating violence and threats to the police, but her concerns were dismissed by a female officer who characterized her as “manipulative and melodramatic.” This initial failure to protect Banaz underscores a systemic issue that advocates are now striving to address.
“Banaz’s Law”: A Fight for Recognition and Protection
For years, Bekhal has campaigned for the adoption of “Banaz’s Law,” a set of proposals designed to improve the response to honour-based abuse. The core of the law centers on creating a statutory definition of this specific form of abuse, informed by the experiences of survivors, to better equip professionals to identify warning signs. The aim is to empower victims to seek help and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.
“[Banaz’s murder] will never leave my life,” Bekhal stated, explaining that even seemingly innocuous triggers – “like somebody saying the word Iraq” – can instantly evoke a paralyzing fear.
Peers in the House of Lords recently tabled amendments to the crime and policing bill, urging ministers to adopt the proposals. While the government has indicated it will consider the changes, progress remains uncertain.
The Shadow of the Migration Debate
A significant concern for Bekhal is the potential for the UK’s increasingly hostile debate surrounding migration to further silence victims. She fears that the current climate could deter individuals from coming forward, particularly those with precarious immigration status.
Bekhal’s own experience in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when anti-immigrant sentiment was rising alongside the prominence of the far-right British National party, left her feeling unsupported. Despite having indefinite leave to remain, she worried that authorities would not take her seriously, viewing her simply as “an immigrant using our funds and our system.” “I worry, 100%, that the climate now could prevent women from coming forward today,” she said.
Weaponizing Violence Against Women
Sanskriti Sanghi, a campaigns manager at Southall Black Sisters (SBS), a leading organization advocating for Banaz’s Law, highlighted a dangerous trend: the framing of migration as the primary threat to women and girls, rather than misogyny. Sanghi argues this narrative is “damaging” to women’s safety.
“Violence against women and girls [VAWG] is being weaponised by the far right to further a racist and anti-migrant agenda and that marginalises communities and the most vulnerable within them, reducing trust and faith in the system,” Sanghi explained. She emphasized the prevalence of damaging myths suggesting that migrant men pose the greatest risk, when, in reality, perpetrators are overwhelmingly known to the victim and come from all ethnicities.
Addressing Systemic Failures and Protecting Vulnerable Women
Despite the complexities, honour-based violence remains a distinct form of VAWG deeply rooted in cultural contexts. Banaz’s Law proposes recognizing it as an aggravating factor in sentencing, supported by statutory guidance developed in collaboration with survivors and campaigners.
SBS is also advocating for an expansion of the UK’s existing protections for migrant victims of domestic abuse, extending provisions for indefinite leave to remain to all migrant women, regardless of their immigration status. This would address the “impossible choice” many face: remaining in an abusive relationship or risking destitution or deportation.
During a House of Lords debate last month, Liberal Democrat peer Dee Doocey described Banaz’s murder as “emblematic of wider patterns of institutional failure to identify and respond to ‘honour’-based abuse,” calling for a swift statutory definition.
Alison Levitt, a justice minister in the Lords, acknowledged the government’s commitment to statutory guidance and a definition, but stressed the need for careful consideration to ensure the legislation is comprehensive and avoids unintended consequences. She stated the government was “getting on with this work… quickly,” but offered no firm timeline for implementation.
The fight for Banaz’s Law is not merely a legal battle; it is a desperate plea to dismantle the systemic failures that allowed a young woman to be silenced and to create a future where all women, regardless of their background or immigration status, can live free from fear and violence.
