No Safe Place

‘Banaz’s courageous and campaigning sister, Bekhal, and the distinguished legal reformer Dr Hannana Siddiqui here document the full horror of the violence which can be experienced by women in our minority communities . . . no cultural justification should be made for so-called crimes of honour.’ * Baroness Helena Kennedy QC *

'This remarkable book by Bekhal and co-writer Hannana Siddique, reveals their awesome courage and compels us to ask: How can this be happening in Britain? Why does it go on? When will it end? Can we feminists be as brave and uncompromising...and build up momentum to stop culturally sanctioned crimes against females? It is time.'

* Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, author and journalist *

‘Bekhal Mahmod’s story of how she escaped being murdered by her own family is a shocking indictment of a community that prized patriarchy over life. The fact that Bekhal’s sister had to die before the authorities took Bekhal’s pleas for help seriously shames a nation. This is a brave and troubling anatomy of a twenty-first-century ‘honour killing’ and the long fight for justice.’

* Robert Verkaik, author of Jihadi John *

'We already know the end of Banaz Mahmod’s story. Now, her sister, Bekhal, tells us the beginning. Heartbreaking and compelling, it’s a tough read but one that must be shared.'

* Joy Kluver, author of Last Seen, Broken Girls, Left for Dead *

‘I was immediately struck by her courage and both moved and inspired by her unflinching spirit. Bekhal’s strength of character is shown on every page of this book. The resilience she shows in the face of abuse is inspiring... Anyone who wants to understand how “honour” culture operates – and the effect it has on women and girls – needs to read this heartbreaking and compelling book.’  

* Deeyah Khan, director of the documentary Banaz: A Love Story *

‘A heart-breaking, powerful and crucially important story from an incredibly brave woman’

* Jess Phillips MP *

‘A staggering story, beautifully written! And an important insight into both paralysis and heroic resistance . . . from the first pages, I felt myself gasping with the shock of it, and yet driven to read on, and on . . . takes us to the geopolitics of fundamentalist faith and power, to visceral fright, resistance and to the wonderful Southall Black Sisters.’  

* Beatrix Campbell OBE, writer and activist *

‘Bekhal Mahmod is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. In the face of constant threats to her own life, and angry exclusion by the rest of her family, she held fast to the memory of her beloved sister, murdered on the orders of their own father. Banaz chose love, and died for it; in defending her, Bekhal chose the path of true honour. Her vivid account of the price both sisters paid is raw and heartbreaking’

* Gwyneth Hughes, screenwriter of ITV series Honour *

‘Written from witness protection, this is a heartbreaking & incredibly important book telling the true story of the death of [Bekhal Mahmod’s] sister Banaz in a so-called “honour killing” & detailing the quest for justice that followed. Essential reading for everybody’

* Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project *

‘When I first met Bekhal at a tree-planting ceremony in Leatherhead for victims of honour-based violence, I was overwhelmed by this very dedicated young woman wanting to leave a lasting tribute to her sister . . . her book is truly a vivid account of her journey, a must-read for all investigators and professionals dealing with honour-based abuse. It articulates the long-lasting painful effects it has on the families left behind.’

 

* Dr Clive Driscoll, Detective Chief Inspector, Metropolitan Police *