How Do Child Protection Workers Report and Assess Signs of Honour‐Based Violence? An Analysis of 138 Cases

ABSTRACT

Honour‐based violence (HBV) is a serious social problem with significant health and social consequences for affected children. Despite growing policy attention, little is known about how child protection services address HBV in practice. This study examines how child protection investigations categorized as HBV are handled by a specialized child protection unit in a large Swedish municipality. A quantitative content analysis of all investigations ( N  = 138) in 2023 was conducted. The analytical procedure comprised descriptive statistics and group comparisons. The findings show detailed documentation of physical violence (20%) and social control (32%), particularly affecting girls. Specific honour‐based expressions of control were frequently recorded. However, there was no documentation about sexual violence, forced virginity testing or conversion practices targeting LBGTQI youth. The child protection investigations frequently resulted in a formal decision to initiate an intervention, particularly in cases where physical violence had been identified. The article discusses the nuanced ways in which HBV is documented, the interventions proposed in comparison with child protection cases not related to HBV and how different conceptualisations of HBV may shape assessment practices. The study highlights both strengths and gaps in child protection responses and calls for longitudinal and comparative research.