Roehampton Criminologist Aisha Gill awarded CBE

• Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Professor Aisha K. Gill, Criminologist at the University of Roehampton has been appointed Commander of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her services in tackling forced marriages, ‘honour’ crimes and violence against women. 

Professor Gill is an established expert on ‘honour’ crimes and author in the field, campaigning for improved approaches to help women from mainly black and minority, ethnic and refugee communities to tackle the difficulties they face in reporting violence and abuse.

Speaking about the honour, Professor Gill said: “Personally, I am incredibly humbled to be awarded this honour, given my modest working class Punjabi roots. I dedicate this award to the memory of my mother, Surinder Kaur, and to all those women and children affected by gender based violence and abuse – this award is yours, too.”

Her research has influenced Government policy and raised awareness across the country about unequal relationships and the impact that they have on women.

 “I would like this award to raise awareness for and to recognise the importance of Social Sciences research and the complex causes of this violence. I hope it gives a voice to the hidden experiences of women who suffer from ‘honour’-based crimes. In my research and activism, I have been privileged to work with some remarkable colleagues at the University of Roehampton, University of Essex and the specialist BME/VAW sector.”

 “As an academic and grassroots activist, I remain concerned that we are not doing enough to address the pernicious levels of violence against women. We must commission dedicated services to meet the long-term requirements for supporting these women and their families to help rebuild their lives after suffering abuse.”

Professor Gill has previously won an Economic and Social Research Council award paying tribute to the impact of her work on public policy. Her research and expertise has also contributed to:

• Legislation including the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007.
• Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary documentation of the experiences of victims/survivors of ‘honour’-based violence, including forced marriage and female genital mutilation.
• Shaping relevant parts of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, which criminalised forced marriage in June 2015.