Honor Killings

Violence against women is common throughout the world. A cultural code of honor exists for women and men. Honor-related violence is most prevalent in Muslim countries. Internationally it involves immigrants, though the connections to religion may be spurious. It should be noted that men also are the targets of honor-related violence, but that women comprise the majority of victims.

Honor killing, the most severe of these acts, is precipitated by the woman transgressing cultural norms, which brings perceived social dishonor to the family. A cultural convention, a primary norm for behavior for women, is the maintenance of her virginity (e.g., purity), it is expected that she be “preserved” until marriage. Consequently, a woman's actions and behavior are very closely scrutinized not only by her family but also by her community. Any transgressions are taken very seriously and the penalties are usually severe.

Illicit premarital or extramarital affairs are common reasons underlying the attacks. Other examples of motivating “offenses” for the attacks: attempting to avoid an arranged marriage, dating, dowry issues, wearing inappropriate clothing, attempting divorce or even flirting. The penalty can occur for a simple suspicion of a “crime” (e.g., illicit affairs). Even cases involving rape, though this is considered sex out of wedlock, the victim is murdered to restore family purity and honor.

The United Nations estimates 5,000 women are the victims of honor killing annually. Due to the private nature of these crimes, most honor killings are unreported, usually uninvestigated and, ultimately, unprosecuted; therefore, it is quite difficult to quantify the true extent of the phenomenon. Furthermore, the greater community and extended family of the victim likely know about the crime but nothing is done as honor crimes are usually condoned and seen as justified.

The accepting attitude can be seen in the way the perpetrators are treated by the systems of justice in front of which they appear. Either their cases are suspended or given brief sentences relative to the crime(s) they have committed. Moreover, these crimes may go unnoticed as honor killings may be concealed or construed as accidental death or suicide. This phenomenon is being recognized and investigated in many nations around the world.

An immediate family member is most commonly the perpetrator of the homicide. It is usually the father who commits murder, but the murder may be handled by a brother, first cousin, son, or any combination of people organized to restore family honor and purity. Siblings are often responsible for the victimization as they are usually met with a lighter sentence since honor killings are considered a family affair. The entire family may conspire against the victim/offender/woman to commit the crime. For example, there have been cases where the woman's mother was found to have lured the girl home to meet her fate at the hands of other male family members.

Women do escape from their family's reach. There are many stories of complex ways in which the woman plans her escape. However, even if the woman succeeds in avoiding the penalty for her crime, she remains at risk. She will ultimately live in a permanent state of fear, afraid she will continue to be hunted.

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