"Honor
killings" are a form of gender-based violence where individuals,
predominantly girls and women, are murdered by family members for perceived
transgressions that bring "shame" or "dishonor" upon the
family or community. These acts are a cultural phenomenon and are not condoned
by any major religion, including Islam, although they often occur in
communities with strong patriarchal and traditional norms.
Key
Aspects
Victims:
Women and girls are the primary victims, but men may also be targeted (e.g.,
the man a woman is perceived to have an illicit relationship with, or LGBTQ+
individuals).
Perceived
Transgressions: The "dishonor" can be triggered by a wide range of
behaviors or circumstances, including:
Refusing
an arranged marriage
Seeking a
divorce or leaving a partner
Engaging
in a relationship unapproved by the family or having sex outside of marriage
(even if only suspected or rumored)
Being a
victim of sexual assault or rape
Adopting
"Westernized" dress, behavior, or attitudes
Defying
parental authority or converting to another religion
Perpetrators:
The murders are typically carried out by male relatives, such as fathers,
brothers, husbands, or cousins. In some cases, female family members may also
be involved or force the victim to commit suicide.
Geographic
Prevalence: While honor killings occur globally, they are widely reported in
regions throughout the Middle East and South Asia, including Pakistan, Iraq,
Iran, Jordan, and India. Cases have also been reported in Western countries,
often within immigrant communities.
Legal and
Social Factors:
A
significant challenge in prosecuting these crimes is that they often go
unreported or are disguised as accidents or suicides.
Lenient
laws or cultural norms in some regions may allow perpetrators to receive
reduced sentences or go unpunished. For example, laws in Iran exempt fathers
from retaliatory punishment (qisas) for killing their children.
Activists
and women's rights organizations are campaigning globally to raise awareness,
change laws, and support victims, emphasizing that "women are no one's
property" and that these are criminal acts, not justified cultural
practices.
Support
for Victims
Organizations
like Karma Nirvana, the Halo Project Charity, and Southall Black Sisters
provide support for victims of honor-based abuse and forced marriages in the
UK.
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