There Is No Honor In Honor Killings

 By

Ruhi Al-Ahmed

            Honor equates to honesty, fairness, or integrity in one’s beliefs and actions. It is a term that is regarded with high respect, worth, and rank.  But can a cold-blooded murder of a family member, typically female, by one or more (mostly male) family members be viewed as a respectful and eulogizing deed? Women are usually victimized due to one basic belief - she has brought dishonor upon the family, clan or community according to people who defend the act of  honor killings. She may face ruthless retribution from her relatives that commonly results in violent death.  Alleged dishonor is usually the result of unapproved behaviors and/or the suspicion of such behaviors: unacceptable dress codes to the family/community, wanting to terminate or prevent an arranged marriage or desiring to marry according to her own choice, or engaging in certain sexual acts, including those with the same sex (particularly gay men). 

            The United Nations estimates that around 5,000 women and girls are murdered each year in the name of “honor” by member of their families. According to the research conducted by the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organization (IKWRO), there have been more than 2,800 incidents of this heinous crime across the U.K. in 2010. The top five areas of the most honor-based incidents were the following: 1.) London with 495 incidents, 2.) West Midlands with 378 incidents, 3.) West Yorkshire with 350 incidents, 4.) Lancashire with 227 incidents, and 5.) Manchester with 189 incidents. And these are just “honor” based violence that has been reported to the authorities. Many of these disheartening circumstances are kicked under the rug, in order to furthermore preserve the family/community’s “righteousness”. Women and girls are to keep silent on these issues since its considered taboo to speak out about this. Sounds familiar? Almost all forms of abuse, be it physical, sexual, and/or emotional/mental are usually mandated to be “a dirty little secret” by the aggressor(s). Unfortunately, women and girls who fall victim to these controlling and abusive relationships (intimate or not) don’t even have the proper resources to reach out to. Their self-esteems and spirits are forever tarnished.

            Honor killings are widely reported in regions throughout the Middle East and South Asia, but these crimes against women occur in countries as varied as Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States. Most of the victims of honor-based crimes in the Western countries such as the U.K, the U.S., and Sweden are from families that have emigrated from other conservative countries. So, the tradition and conservatism is passed onto the next generation in a foreign land. In many of these countries, there are no adequate or existent laws that even recognize “honor” crimes. Even if they have the slightest recognition of this despicable crime, the governments have an insufficient sentencing for it. In some countries in the Middle East like Jordan, laws have been passed to even restrain honor crimes but they tend to go un-enforced. 

            So why do people think like this in today’s world? Why do we see so many deaths in the name of honor? Are women murdered for no reason? Women play a significant role in society. They are our mothers, daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughters, etc. According to these highly conservative, traditional and retrograded societies, a woman holds the entire honor of the family compared to a man. If a woman does something “immoral” based on the family/community’s views, she has shamed all of the people. The woman is so important that she signifies a whole group of people. However, she is treated less than a man – perhaps less than human. A man may do whatever he pleases even if he knows and is forbidden to do something. But like the laws that are un-enforced in these countries, the standards of men are lowered and condoned by a whole lot. The patriarchal and misogynistic societies justify the poor treatment and outlook of women. Patriarchy that stems from women-hating cultures and religions (keep in mind that honor killings happen in many different populations. They occur in Muslim communities but there a number of cases that have occurred in Sikh, Hindu and Christian families) even manipulate women and girls into believing that they are in fact not equal (in terms of rights) to men. Many of these victims grow up without ever learning about their basic rights. Fundamental religion (and not spirituality that derives from religion – yes, there is a difference) does foster this concept of misogyny and homophobia. In my past articles, I have shown various verses from all sorts of holy books and the inequality and hatred it seeps into law and society. Interpretation of verses varies from person to person and it is usually the uneducated populace that follows words of dogma literally. And this fear and concept of hell furthermore allows female victims to remain voiceless and sheepish. This aspect of modesty has assimilated with silence of voices that we must hear and learn from. 

            The problem is that the "value" of women in these societies. The concept of love/respect and unequal/distrust so often intertwines in the light of culture and religious ideology. For the most part, these families care about their daughters and wives very much. But insecurity and the "duty" to control a woman overrules them. It's to the point that they mentally and physically imprison their women from "sinning" in order to preserve their interpretation of dignity. A woman has no life of her own. Her life is meant to serve and symbolize men. Based on Memini, an organization that remembers victims of honor crimes, "These killings occur in societies where men’s status is judged by their ability to control women’s behavior. Women can become targets of honor based violence for choosing their own life partner, spending time without family supervision, leaving a marriage, for becoming the subject of gossip, becoming ‘Westernized’ and many other reasons."

The frightening truth is the fact that these honor killings are not covered by the media (Western or not). They are often disregarded since the topic is so heavy and reaches so many different dimensions. However, this should not be the case. Honor killings should be ceased at once as it produces no good to humanity. People have to get over the fact that a woman has the right to live her life without the approval of others' terms of morality. Until then, the deaths of innocent women who's crime was to simply be alive and live their one life as their own will continue. There is no honor in honor killing.

Ruhi is a student at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany. She has done research for the Project on Violent Conflict. Along with that, she has written for Muslims Debate endeavoring to provide news on the practice of Sharia Law. During her free time, Ruhi has been the Public Relations agent of Amnesty International in Albany, a research assistant for the Pre-Law Assosciation at the University at Albany and a volunteer at the Iraqi Refugee Project.