New helpline for Cambridgeshire victims
A helpline aimed at helping victims of 'honour' based violence has been launched in Cambridgeshire.
The Choice helpline, launched on 16 June 2008, is run by specially trained police officers 24 hours a day and is only the second of its kind in the country.
Detective Inspector Melanie Dales, running the initiative, said: "So called honour based crimes can be complex to understand and often go unreported because the victim doesn't feel they can approach police. The purpose of the hotline is to provide victims with a confidential way to get in touch with specially trained officers."
Victims of 'honour' based crime are not just women and not just from the Asian community, with victims from the Polish, Lithuanian and Turkish communities to name a few.
The minority population in Cambridgeshire is estimated at 8% and the force currently gets around eight 'honour' based violence calls a month from all over the county.
Det Insp Dales added: "We believe there are still victims out there who are being either abused by family members or forced into a life that they are not happy with and it is those people we are trying to reach. Everyone has the right to make their own life choices without the fear of physical or mental abuse and we hope that this helpline will encourage those who cannot do this to get in touch with police."
All calls are answered by female officers who've had special training to deal with 'honour' based crime.
Cambridgeshire's the second force in the country to have a hotline for 'honour' based violence. Last year Cleveland Police launched a similar scheme.
Contact the Choice helpline on 0800 5 999 818.