MRC-Child Sexual Abuse In British South Asian Communities- Understanding The Barrier Of Shame And Honour

Hearing from victims/survivors about their experiences of CSA, is important in developing practice, services, and policies, yet voices of victims/ survivors from South Asian communities are sparsely documented due to disproportionately low rates of referral, and limited research. ‘Cultural barriers’ and ‘shame and honour’ are often stated as barriers impeding knowledge about these experiences, but what exactly do these terms mean, and how are they acting as barriers?

This session will : • seek to provide a deeper understanding of these barriers, through the narratives of 15 British South Asian women who experienced CSA. • encourage practitioners to interrogate rooted narratives about such experiences and how to navigate these barriers. • help practitioners to develop greater curiosity so that practice can become more effective in supporting CSA victims/survivors from British South Asian communities.