Honour-related violence – not a point of honour for the National CID
Publicerat 19 Jan, 2006
Despite the fact that Kickis Åhré Älgamo’s post as the National Criminal Investigation Department’s only expert on honour-related violence was phased out in May, and despite the fact that she is on parental leave, police districts throughout the country are continually calling to ask for her help. Kickis Åhré Älgamo's final draft of a handbook on honour-related violence for police officers has got caught up in the machinery at the National CID and has not reached officers working in the field.
“The National CID asked me to turn the handbook into a short checklist instead, which I refused to do,” says Kickis Åhré Älgamo to the Umbrella Project. “The handbook has 80 pages and everything in it needs to be there and is already in a highly concentrated form. Training is needed. If police officers just have a checklist in their hand and no real understanding of the problem of honour-related violence, then the consequences for the victims may be devastating.”
She wrote the handbook because the police lack knowledge on the subject and therefore miss crucial information at crime scenes and in the course of their investigations. Crimes that otherwise could be solved remain unsolved and are written off.
“The police districts that call and ask for my help can’t handle the situation,” says Kickis Åhré Älgamo. “They continue to ask despite the fact that I no longer work as an expert on honour-related violence and am on parental leave. That says a great deal about the situation.”
There is a public version of the draft of the handbook that can be used by the social services, schools and the healthcare system. The version for the police also contains information on methods and approaches for preliminary investigations. At present, the National CID owns the material.
When Kickis Åhré Älgamo’s post was phased out, the Umbrella Project put a question to Johan Grenfors, head of the Investigation and Surveillance Department at the National CID:
At most of the police authorities in the country there is a lack of know-how and expertise on how to approach and conduct competent preliminary investigations into honour crimes, which are increasing . The victims, usually women and children, are paying a high price for this according to Åhré Älgamo. Comments?
Johan Grenfors answered by mail:
"The level of expertise obviously varies between the authorities. We believe, however, that the National CID’s programme, which always had a time limit, has helped to increase the knowledge of the police force."
“The level of knowledge has increased in some places but there is still a long way to go,” says Kickis Åhré Älgamo.
In practice, her post was phased out in May this year when she took parental leave, although the formal date is February 2006. The need and demand for her knowledge is great. This is confirmed by the victims of honour-related violence and varies bodies and organisations that the Umbrella Project has been in contact with. The National CID has a few months in which to reconsider its decision.
| Marie Eriksson marie@stockholmskulturbyra.se |
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The aim of the Umbrella Project is to increase interest, awareness and knowledge about diversity at work and the processes behind exclusion and discrimination.