All entries on Feminist Legal Clinic’s News Digest Blog are extracts from news articles and other publications, with the source available at the link at the bottom. The content is not originally generated by Feminist Legal Clinic and does not necessarily reflect our views.
Police have been accused of turning a blind eye to the spread of Sharia courts in Britain, as newly released Government figures show less than three per cent of so-called “honour crimes” were successfully prosecuted last year.
The data shows authorities are consistently failing to prosecute and prevent honour-based abuse, which can include offences such as female genital mutilation (FGM), homicide (honour killings) and forced marriage.
Campaigners are warning that the “privatisation of justice” within some Muslim communities through Sharia courts makes it harder for the state to intervene.
They say this has fostered a parallel justice system operating behind closed doors with no state oversight.
Last year, 2,949 honour-related offences were recorded in Britain, but only 95 defendants were prosecuted.
FGM has been illegal in England and Wales for nearly 40 years, however despite the number of reported cases, there have been only three criminal convictions in Britain – the first of which, relating to a three-year-old girl, was secured in 2019.
Meanwhile, some 766 forced marriages were reported to police between 2020 and 2025, but just 118 resulted in prosecution.
Previous investigations have found imams in Britain facilitating underage marriage and polygamy, as well as encouraging women to return to abusive husbands.
Source: Police accused of ‘turning blind eye’ as Sharia courts run rife and honour crimes go unpunished