I am writing in response to the article, A matter of dishonour (Oxford Mail, March 29).

There is no honour to so-called honour-based killings or to forced marriages.

But there is also no honour in sensationalising an issue that needs to be discussed with a respect for facts if we are going to achieve solutions to it.

The seriousness of the issue should have been brought home to everyone by the horrendous murder that took place in Rose Hill, Oxford.

What we need is an objective investigation and reliable research.

Comments which grab headlines rather than grasp reality cannot help.

Laetisi Staniforth, the project leader quoted in your article, alleges that one forced marriage a week takes place in Oxford.

She further claims that it is estimated at least 60 forced marriages take place in Oxford alone, not Oxfordshire, each year, then says that this is a gross under-representation.

But she fails to provide the evidence to back up any of these staggering claims.

Grossly exaggerating a problem does not help to deal with it - quite the opposite.

It makes it harder to untwine the real problem from irresponsible fictions.

It does not bode well when professionals sporadically talk about "raising awareness" and move on to other things as their funding has expired.

It is left to us in the local communities to pick up the pieces, to move forward sensitively and without seeking publicity, and to promote real and positive change.

MOHAMMED ALTAF-KHAN (Councillor) Oxford City Council