There has been an almost 300% rise in calls for help and over 400 honor crimes registered over the last four years in Denmark

Increasing numbers of young people are seeking help to deal with so-called honor crimes according to new figures from the National Organization of Shelters for Battered Women and their Children (LOKK). Since 2005, LOKK has being offering advice to young ethnic minorities who have come into conflict with their families. Kristeligt Dagblad newspaper reports that the organization counselled 101 people in 2005 who knew someone, or who were themselves, trapped in such a situation. In 2008 that number had risen to 397. Lene Johannesson from LOKK said that they especially received many calls from young women subjected to honor related attacks. Many of the calls come from young immigrant women who have found a Danish boyfriend against their parents’ wishes. ‘But we also deal with those who just want to behave like other Danish kids - going out at night and making their own decisions about education and so on,’ explained Johannesson. Many of the girls who contact LOKK have already been verbally threatened by their parents. ‘There have been threats about locking them up or sending them back to their homeland. We also see threats of violence,’ said Johannesson. Since 2006, the National Police’s investigation unit has registered more than 400 honor crimes in Denmark, ranging from threats and violence, to forced marriages and being sent back to the home country for ‘re-educating’.