Abstract The present study aims to examine one of the main components of honour-related violence, the previously disregarded – honor-contextualized rumour/gossip, by examining the process with which rumours/gossip advance within and through-out the honour-related social collective and its purposes for, and effects on, the mechanism of violence and oppression that permeates the collective. This study is based on hermeneutic premises and is constructed on ten semi-structured interviews with respondents in the ages 18 – 25 whom for an extensive period of time have been subjected to honour-related violence victimization. The findings show that rumour/gossip is equal to the process of raising the public awareness of individuals who resort to alleged or actual norm-deviant behavior. Consequently there is a connection between rumour/gossip and the publics’ appraisal of its members thus rendering rumour/gossip crucial to the occurrence of honour related violence. Rumour/gossip is utilized by the members of the collective as a means of maneuvering the public eye, as it permits them to control on whom the eye of the public focuses, to various extents. Rumour/gossip is used in offensive and defensive purposes. Rumour/gossip as well as honour related violence occurs with the prospect of influencing the members positioning within the collectives’ status-/power hierarchy, by enabling dethronement and advancement through the appraisal of the public eye. Rumour/gossip is a key component in determining whether an act of violence should be labeled as honour-related, as it attests the appraisal of the public that the perpetrator, in the act of violence, takes in consideration. The social services’ investigatory work and riskassessment must take in consideration the occurrence of rumour/gossip in each case. The present study should be seen as a theoretical instrument for investigatory social workers in social services in their highly complex undertaking of determining whether a case should be met and treated such as conditioned by a variety of parental authoritarian methods of limitation in a youths’ emancipatory process or if the case is conditioned by a social context wherein the victimized members are subjected to a violence and oppression mechanism – if the case should be labeled as honour related violence and oppression. Key words: honour related violence and oppression, honour-contextualized rumour/rumor/gossip, gossip mongering, ostracizing of a third party, reputation, the public eye, public awareness, collective, collective consciousness, status-/power hierarchy / Sammanfattning Föreliggande studies syfte var att undersöka en av hederskulturens, tidigare outforskade, centrala empiriska komponenter – den negativa ryktesspridningen. Detta genom att betrakta ryktesspridningens inverkan på och betydelse för den kollektiva arenan och dess vålds- och förtryckarmekanik. Studien är hermeneutiskt orienterad. Tio semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med intervjupersoner i åldrarna 18-25 år, vilka har långvarig erfarenhet av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Resultatet visar att ryktesspridning utgör den process med vilken offentligheten varseblivs om avvikande kollektivmedlemmar. Ryktesspridning är således förbundet med offentlighetens individbedömning och är därför fullständigt avgörande för förekomsten av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Ryktesspridning används av kollektivmedlemmar likt en avledningsmanöver då den ger dem möjlighet att i varierande grad kontrollera mot vem eller vilka offentlighetens öga riktas. Ryktesspridning används i offensivt och defensivt syfte. Ryktesspridning likväl hedersvåldshandlingar sker i förhoppning om att genom offentlighetens bedömning påverka kollektivmedlemmars positionering inom den kollektiva arenans status-/makthierarki, det rör sig om att framkalla detronisering/avancemang. Ryktesspridning är själva navet i definitionen av huruvida en våldssituation ska etiketteras som hedersproblematik. Detta till följd av att den vittnar om förövarens hänsynstagande till offentlighetens bedömning av denna. Socialtjänstens utredningsarbete och bedömning av hotbild måste därför ta hänsyn till, för ärendet aktuell, ryktesspridning. Föreliggande studie ska ses som ett teoretiskt verktyg för utredare inom socialtjänst i åtagandet att bedöma huruvida ett ärendes huvudperson enbart är begränsad i sin ungdomliga frigörelseprocess, med en uppsättning auktoritära gränssättningsmetoder, eller om denne är fången i en kollektiv vålds- och förtryckarmekanism, det vill säga om denne är utsatt för vad som konstituerar hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Nyckelord: hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck, hederskontextualiserad negativ ryktesspridning, ryktesspridning, skvaller, rykte, offentlighetens öga, kollektivt medvetande, den kollektiva arenan, status-/maktstruktur.

Abstract This study aims at investigating how four different Swedish newspapers produce the phenomenon of honor, creating differences between "we and them" (our own quotation), as well as a summary of the differences between the newspapers'. This is to gain a deeper knowledge of the connection between the honour phenomenon and Swedish media. Method: Eight articles were collected based first on predetermined criteria and then by a random selection from all four newspapers. Analysis: The collected material was divided based on the issues as well as an thematization of the content and then analyzed in order to answer these questions. This study is based on an intersectional perspective with the following concepts: Culture, power, ethnicity, biological and social gender. Conclusion: The conclusions drawn in the following study are that the writers build their text content on factors that are represented as the causes of the honour-related violence. The most relevant factors are culture, religion and ethnicity, where the term gender also creates an additional dimension in the explanations of the honour phenomena. These explanations can further create a division between "we and them" (our own quotation). The victims of the articles are often made as weak and helpless as well as being young girls of different origins. The role of the villain becomes complex, as the practitioners themselves becomes the helper, while honour or culture takes the place as the main villain character in the content of the text. Even society is assigned a meaning through two different roles, patrons and the fraudulent rescuer. Based on this conclusion, a model was formed that might serve to clarify when it comes to the media's presentation of the relationship between the majority society and the victim of the honour violence. From this model, it becomes possible to understand the importance of self-awareness regarding attitudes in society and how it can further affect social work.

It has been found that society sometimes fails to protect its citizens from being exposed to honor-related violence and oppression (HRV). A contributing factor is suggested to be lack of knowledge about HRV among practitioners within various fields of social work. This could inhibit practitioners’ ability to act on any signs of oppression among clients who may be exposed to HRV. The current thesis aims to explore this problem further by studying three projects which provide education on HRV to practitioners. Interviews have been conducted with both project managers and project participants in order to access experiences of incorporating education as a preventive factor of HRV, as well as access information on whether the target group, primarily children, have been affected by the work of the projects. The results show that informants respond differently to the term HRV which could infer limitations of the provided education. However, all informants agree that there is a need of education on HRV, especially in order to properly attend to clients who are perceived as pertain to a honor context. Some results show potential obstacles within preventive work against HRV. Such obstacles may be practitioners’ receptiveness to education, as well as practitioners’ perceived difficulties in attending to children between two cultures. All informants agree that education should be viewed as part of an long-term process of preventive work against HRV which needs continuous attention.

The concept of domestic violence pertains to different definitions of violence, one of which is the concept of honour related violence and oppression. This paper looks at honour related violence and oppression, as defined in policy documents at a central political level, and how various discourses stand in relation to social categories and power relations. Consequently, the theoretical and methodological premise of the paper has been based on discourse analysis and an intersectional perspective has been applied to gain further depth and breadth in the analysis of the material. The intersectional perspective houses various approaches to the understanding of specific phenomena based on factors of gender, ethnicity, sexuality and class.The analysis concludes that the concept of honour related violence and oppression is a concept without a single scientific definition. There is, however, a general consensus in the political context that honour related violence and oppression is a collective force that can be directed at both sexes. The explanations for the violence in the studied documents vary from this kind of violence being seen as a cultural condition, to it being seen as part of the universal patriarchal oppression aimed at all women regardless of their background. Socio-economic factors are not mentioned as a possible explanatory factor.

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att studera hur organisationer, som jobbar med pojkar och unga män som drabbats av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck, beskriver deras problematik. I studien har semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomförts och del-innehållsanalys har använts. Våra teoretiska utgångspunkter har varit maskulinitetsteorin, det ideala offret samt det kulturbetingade perspektivet. Resultatet av studien visade att pojkar och unga män som drabbas av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck ofta också är förövare i samma kontext, att det våld och förtryck de utsätts för är snarlikt det som drabbar flickor och unga kvinnor och att en utlösande faktor för att drabbas är att bryta mot familjens normer. De slutsatser vi dragit utifrån vår studie är att våra resultat ligger i linje med tidigare forskning samt att leva upp till mansnormen är centralt och betydande för att inte bli utsatt för hedersvåld. / The purpose of this study was to explore how organizations, who are assigned to meet boys and young men who are victims of honour related violence and oppression, describe their situation. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews and form-content analysis has been used. Our theoretical framework consists of masculinity theory, the ideal victim as well as the culture-related perspective. The results of the study showed that boys and young men who are victims of honour-related violence is also often perpetrators in the same context. The violence and oppression they face is like the one suffered by young girls and women and that a triggering factor for suffering is to violate family norms. The conclusions we have drawn is that our results are in line with previous research. It´s also both central and major that boys and young men live up to the concept of masculinity, to avoid becoming a victim of honour-related violence.

This study aims to analyze whether the discourses of the phenomenon of honor-related violence and oppression have changed over time in the Swedish daily press. This is operated through a discourse analysis of debate articles from seven newspapers published around the country. The methodological and theoretical premise is based on Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. Further, three theories has been applied; The construction of “the others” by Jonsson, de Beauvoir’s theory of The Second Sex and Nussbaum’s universal theory of justice. The purpose of selection of articles has been to find relevant debate articles concerning opinions on the phenomenon of honor-related violence and oppression. The results and analysis has been divided into three main themes: a legal discourse, a discourse of "us " and " them " as well as a discourse of patriarchy. The results indicate that the phenomenon is influenced by its time in the shape of current events and areas of conflict.

Honour-related violence and oppression has been politically prioritised in Sweden during the past two decades. National policies have been formulated, laws adopted, and the school has been identified as a crucial actor for preventing this type of violence at the local level. Yet, the prevalence of the violence still constitutes a threat to the freedom and safety of children and youths in the Swedish society. To gain a deeper understanding about the apparent discrepancy between policy and practice, this study adopts a micro-level perspective and zooms in onto the actors responsible for implementing existing policies. Teachers from four different purposefully selected schools have been interviewed. Drawing on insights from street-level policy implementation theories, the study explores how the teachers work to implement the National Agency for Education’s policy targeting honour-related violence and oppression. Notably, Lipsky’s analytical categories for successful street-level policy implementation, comprehension, capacity and will, function as point of departure. The broad nature of the categories have allowed for contextual insights to be included and a number of constraining and enabling mechanisms for successful micro-level policy implementation to be identified. The findings demonstrate how the teachers’ access to information is contingent upon their personal interest in the topic or on other individuals’ commitment. The large room for manoeuvre permits teachers to use their creativity to include the perspective of honour, but likewise allows for misunderstandings and resistance to influence the policy outcomes. The lack of clear bureaucratic goals, limited resources and a high level of discretion force teachers to find their own strategies to adequately implement the policy. To deal with increased pressure they are however likely to resort to simplifications and familiar routines. In turn these may obstruct at-risk students from receiving appropriate support. Finally, the findings confirm the importance of taking the strategies, decisions and motivations of implementing actors seriously when trying to understand policy success or policy failure.

In Sweden, honour-related oppression has received more attention in recent years at the political and academic level but also in social work. Honour-related problems are largely in conflict with the rights and freedoms of children and women, and attempts have been made to alleviate the issue. The purpose of this master thesis is to examine the professionals’ experiences of the challenges of cooperation, support and personal treatment of girls and young women who are exposed to honour-related oppression. The professionals mainly represent the social services and other actors who work with honour-related problems, such ashealth care personnel. Based on a qualitative approach using focus group and individual interviews, the results illustrate the importance of cooperation and knowledge when working with girls and young women who are exposed to honour-related oppression. The study illustrates challenges for cooperation, such as professional confidentiality, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the professional’s work with the matter. Honour-related oppression can be described as a challenging problem that still needs further recognition in society. The study can contribute to the work of social services and other actors by presenting challenges and opportunities for the work with honour-related oppression

The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative study with a case study research design, where we studied social workers and politicians view on honor-related problems of underage girls and boys in the age 13-17. We need knowledge about honor related violence and oppression in the political community and social services to work with honor-related problems. Political decisions affect how social work is developed around the honor problem; therefore, it is also important to highlight this direction for the work. It requires a knowledge complement of honor-related problems not to risk exposing the child to further risk from the family (Hedersförtryck, 2009). This is to live up to, for example the law of Social Services, school law and Human Rights (Hussein & Kinuka-Svedberg, 2010). We conducted semi-structured interviews with two social workers, a social worker at the women's shelter, a women's safety coordinator and a chairman of the Social Welfare Committee in the selected commune. When we analyzed the results, we made a hermeneutic analysis with interpretation from an intersectional perspective based in postmodern feminist theory. The result that we have reached as regards the design of the work with honor-related problem is that it is highly influenced by the decisions of women's safety coordinator and politicians. The respondents mentioned the concepts controlling, limiting young people, married off by the family, and that they have little autonomy. Also the patriarchal family pyramid was raised in the definition and that there may be integration problems as a result of the norm-breaking lifestyle that comes with their own culture. The viewpoints which the respondents had on the honor problem we have seen influence how they wish to work. They said that they wanted to educate and inform the newly arrived adults who immigrate to the country, about Swedish laws and regulations. Social workers said that in time they have learned to apply the youth perspective as much as the family perspective which is more than they did before when they rather applied more of a youth perspective.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur yrkesverksamma inom socialt anknutna arbeten definierar och hanterar ärenden som rör hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Det för att öka kunskapen om utvecklingsområdet hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck i det sociala arbetets yrkesutövning. Studien är en kvalitativ intervjustudie där empirin baseras på sex intervjuer, med sju yrkesverksamma respondenter inom socialt anknutna arbeten, vilka hanterar ärenden som rör hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Det teoretiska begreppet som appliceras på studien är Karpmans dramatriangel (2014) för att kunna förklara, analysera och tolka vårt funna datamaterial. I studiens resultat fann vi att tidigare forskning och respondenternas uppfattning om definitionen av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck delvis överensstämmer. Sammantaget definierar det som en kollektivistisk patriarkalisk struktur vars största tyngd ligger i kollektivets anseende. Vi belyser även den rådande konflikten som existerar inom forskningsområdet som utgår ifrån tre olika förklaringsmodeller om varför hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck uppstår. Vi kunde i våra respondenters svar finna nyanser av den kulturbetingade förklaringsmodellen. Med denna utgångspunkt görs sedan kopplingar till de yrkesverksammas bedömningar av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck, som någonting som främst görs på grund av yrkeserfarenhet, livserfarenhet samt utifrån andra yrkesverksammas kunskap om ämnet. Utarbetade metoder används i vissa fall i form av socialstyrelsens modell PATRIARK samt egna modeller som de yrkesverksamma har skapat själva. Det är dock valfritt och således har vi inte funnit någon genomgripande metod för hur bedömningen och hanteringen av hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck sker. Resultatet pekar på ett omfattande behov av nationellt utarbetade riktlinjer och förhållningssätt i arbetet med hedersproblematik där alla kommuner i landet arbetar på samma sätt. / The purpose of this study was to investigate how professionals in social works define, assess and handle a matter regarding honor-related violence and oppression. This is to increase knowledge about the development area of honor-related violence and oppression in practice of social work. The study is a qualitative interview study, where the empirical data is based on six interviews with seven professional respondents within socially connected works that handle and assess matters related to honor-related violence and oppression. The theoretical concept applied to the study is Karpman's dramatriangle (2014) this in order to explain, analyze and interpret our found data material. In the study results we found that the earlier research and respondents 'perception of the definition of honor-related violence and oppression matched and defines it as a collectivist patriarchal structure whose main weight lies in the collective's perception. We will also highlight the current conflict that exists in the research area which is based on three different explanatory models of why-related violence and oppression, and in our respondents response we could find a nuanced answer in the cultural explanation model. With this as a starting point, connections to the professionally made assessments of honor-related violence and oppression then make connections as something primarily done because of professional experience, life experience and also from other professions 'knowledge of the subject. Developed methods are used in some cases in the form of “Socialstyrelsen” model “PATRIARK” and own models that the professionals have created themselves. However, this is optional and because of that, we have not found any exhaustive method for how the assessment and management of honor-related violence and oppression takes place. The result points to an extensive need for development of nationwide guidelines and approaches in the work on honor-related violence where all municipalities in the country