South Asian Heritage Month 2025
Roots to Routes
South Asian Heritage Month runs every year from 18th July to the 17th August. It is a time to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities. The year's theme is 'Roots to Routes', reflecting South Asian communities and their journeys.
This year we want to highlight the shared heritage of British South Asian communities and the movement to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the UK by spotlighting by and for organisations we work with.
By and for organisations are run by and for marginalised communities. These organisations offer specialist domestic abuse services to improve understanding of and responses to domestic abuse, helping to keep communities safe. Specialist services understand their local communities and work with and for their community through prevention, education and awareness raising. These vital services provide victims, survivors and perpetrators of domestic abuse with tailored and bespoke support from practitioners who understand their specific needs.
For those working in domestic abuse perpetrator intervention, cultural competency isn't an optional extra – it's a professional responsibility. Developing cultural competency supports practitioners to build the trust and rapport necessary for genuine accountability work. When people feel respected and understood, they're more likely to engage authentically with the difficult process of examining and changing their behaviour.
By and for domestic abuse services are a crucial and underfunded part of the VAWG sector who continually face new challenges and navigate complex issues to ensure individuals in minoritised communities feel safe, heard and in control of their lives.
Over the course of South Asian Heritage Month, we'll showcase how some of these vital by and for organisations have been part of the roots of the work to tackle domestic abuse and provide survivors with vital routes to safety.
Celebrating By and For Organisations:
Thinking about the theme ‘Roots to Routes,’ what does this mean to you?
At Karma Nirvana, 'Roots to Routes' speaks to the uniqueness of every survivor’s journey. While many affected by Honour Based Abuse (HBA) may share cultural or structural similarities in their experiences, each person's path to safety, healing, and freedom is deeply personal. Their ‘roots’, whether this is family, culture, or history, can be both grounding and, at times, confining. The ‘routes’ they take are shaped by resilience, choice, and often great courage. This theme reminds us to honour that complexity and support survivors in forging their own way forward.
One of the areas South Asian Heritage Month considers is legacy and future generations. How do you think we pass on cultural values, lessons and traditions, and how does that link to your work in the DA/VAWG sector?
A key part of our work is breaking intergenerational cycles of abuse, while still honouring the richness of South Asian heritage. Survivors of Honour Based Abuse often talk about the difficult tension between preserving cultural identity and rejecting harmful traditions. This is something we illustrated in our animation The Roots of Honour Based Abuse, which explores how survivors may need to sever ties with harmful ‘roots’ in order to build safer futures. By supporting survivors in reclaiming cultural values on their own terms, which may include values like compassion, strength, and community, we contribute to a legacy that future generations can be proud of.
This month is about celebrating the ways South Asian communities in the UK build connections through shared heritage, creating vibrant, supportive, and resilient spaces. How do you create safe spaces and why is this important in terms of supporting those who have experienced domestic abuse?
Creating safe spaces is vital in the work we do. For those impacted by Honour Based Abuse or domestic violence, community can be a source of both harm and healing. We work to build spaces where survivors are believed, supported, and not judged for the decisions they make or for who they are. This involves cultural sensitivity, trauma-informed practice, and survivor-led approaches. When survivors and victims feel safe to share their stories and access support, they can begin to rebuild not only their own lives, but also strengthen the fabric of our community. Safe spaces empower individuals to thrive while fostering collective resilience.
Other organisations supporting South Asian communities:
Ashiana Community Project- Supporting and empowering victims of domestic abuse in Birmingham.
Asian Family Counselling Service- based in London.
BAATN - Black, African and Asian Therapy Network- understanding intersectionality with people who identify as Black, African, South Asian and Caribbean. Find a specialist counsellor you can work with.
Forced Marriage Unit - Advice and support for anyone being forced into or escaping a forced marriage.
IKWRO Women's Rights Organisation- provides advice and support to Middle Eastern, North African and Afghan women and girls living in the UK, who have experienced, or are at risk of all forms of “honour” based abuse, including; forced marriage, child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) and domestic abuse.
Imkaan - addressing violence against Black and minoritised women and girls.
Imkaan's member organisations across the UK- specialist frontline support organisations across UK.
Lateef Project- Islamic counselling in East London.
Nafsiyat - Counselling and intercultural therapy in Islington, Camden, Enfield, Haringey.
Sikh Women's Aid- Develops lasting positive change by actively challenging harmful belief systems and practices that act as the root cause of all forms of abuse within the Sikh and Panjabi community.
