British law enforcement has seen a 40 percent increase in "honor" crimes this year in London, The Daily Mail reports. The report says that that statistic includes a 60 percent increase in attempts to create forced marriages.

"Honor" crimes are committed when an individual commits a crime against someone for violating the reputation of them or their family and is usually committed against another member of the family. The practice is most common among immigrants from Muslim countries. The United Nations estimates that up to 5,000 people are victims of "honor killings" annually.

According to the newspaper, 256 honor-related incidents occurred this year, of which 132 were determined to be criminal offenses. Last year, there were 161 incidents including 93 that were criminal in nature.

"'One reason is the rise in fundamentalism. The problem is increasing in communities around the UK," Diana Nammi from the Iranian and Kurdish Womens' Rights Organization was quoted as saying.

"'We are seeing a rise not only in honour killings, but also in female genital mutilation and polygamy."

Nammi says that her organization has seen a four-fold increase in complaints over the past two years.

The United States has seen several suspected honor-based crimes in recent years. In October, an Iraqi immigrant in Arizona ran over his 20-year old daughter and her boyfriend's mother. The father was allegedly made over his daughter becoming "too Westernized." She later died from her injuries and her father was arrested ten days after the attack.