Single British Asian mums losing their ‘honour babies‘ – BBC

Some single British Asian women are being forced by their families to give up their children as so-called “honour babies“, according to a charity which wants action to uncover the scale of the problem.

Most of the cases involve girls from south Asian backgrounds who have fallen pregnant out of wedlock or by a boyfriend from a different background.

Their parents force them to put their babies up for adoption or hand them over to other family members to prevent shame.

Some of these girls go to great lengths to conceal the pregnancies from their parents because they know they will never be accepted.

Ms Sanghera says her honour network helpline has received a number of calls [from the mothers of honour babies]

Honour Babies are a new frontier in the growing fight against anti-social and child abuse practices within the British Asian community.

MixTogether.org is at the forefront of this new campaign. We have first-hand experience of helping Asian girls who are under threat from their families for carrying honour babies. Members of our governing committee were closely involved with the production of the BBC report.

Anti-social practices within the Asian community are under increasing scrutiny in the UK, and the traditional protective barrier offered to minorities by left-wing politicians is evaporating fast.

The drip-feed of negative coverage over honour crimes- and now also honour babies- is causing real discomfort in mainstream society. Although it is never mentioned in the media, the lack of visible progress in challenging these anti-social behaviours is part of the reason voters are looking at parties who give unequivocal support to British values.

For Asians in media who have a position of influence, the time is rapidly approaching to speak hard truths to their own community. Otherwise the job may fall to others who do not have that community’s best interests at heart.