Honor killing is a homicide committed as a form of punishment by some communities and families around the world. In these killings, a member of a social group is punished by death due to a belief that the victim dishonored the community (Feldner, 2000). The modern world has witnessed such murders. The victims of these killings were either suspected or found guilty of dishonoring the community in various ways. An individual may be put into honor killing because of being involved in homosexuality, unacceptable dressing code, declining to get into an arranged marriage, marrying in unacceptable manner, and committing adultery.
Honor killings are very common in the southwest Asia and the Middle East regions. Other instances of honor killings are found in northern Africa, southern America and some parts of northern America. Women have recorded the highest number of casualties to these killings (Feldner, 2000). The areas where Islamic and Hinduism religions dominate often record the highest numbers of honor killings. Women are the most vulnerable because most of the societies where honor killing is practiced are patriarchal in nature. Women are targeted for a number of reasons such as declining to get married in an arranged marriage scenario, looking for a divorce, and being suspected of engaging in adulterous activities. Men are also targeted in these unscrupulous honor killings. They are in most cases victims of the woman’s family or community in cases where the man is suspected of dishonoring the community.
Most researches on honor killings focus on the religious, cultural, and traditional arguments of the act (Fekete, 2006). Scholars have been in disagreement for a long time over the influence of religion on the traditional practices that advocate for honor killings. While some researchers incorporate the influence of religion such as Islam and Hinduism in the continued killings, others believe that it is purely because of traditional and cultural practices of a community.
Many researchers on this topic try to explain honor killing from various points of view. These are sociological, criminological, psychological, and biological. These efforts are all in the process of looking for an explanation as to why such atrocities are allowed in the 21st century (Fekete, 2006). Sev’er and Yurdakul (2006) carried out a research on honor killings and the supposed reasons that caused the honor killings. In this research, it was realized that women are the definition of honor. This research suggests that a woman is supposed to be always honorable as per the communities’ standards. The man on the other hand is entitled to protecting the family honor. In case this honor is in dismay; it must be restored even if it means killing is the only option. Arin (2001) also supports this argument in his publication entitled Violence against Women.
Several researches have been conducted in countries where this vice is common and the outcome presents varied societal reactions to the social and cultural grounds for honor killings. The commonality of these findings is that it is the primary root for this issue of honor killings. A research conducted on family killings and its causes by Sev’er and Yurdukul (2006) in Turkey revealed the significance traditional understanding of the killings.
The religious point of view on honor killings is also significant. According to Hilal et al article entitled customary killings in Turkey and Turkish modernization, it has been suggested that the Qur’an is interpreted by most Islamic societies in such a way that it encourages honor killings (2009). Feldner suggests that some Islamic leaders have affirmed honor killing as part of the code of Islam as witnessed in the Sharia laws (2000). Sev’er and Yurdukul publication reaffirms that it is hard to separate the traditional aspect of honor killings from the religious aspects (2006). The level at which the traditions of the people that practice honor killings and religion is interwoven is deep rooted and inseparable due to centuries of intermingling of traditions and religion (Ahmed, 1992).
The two major approaches used by scholars in this study are the traditional/cultural link and the religious link to honor killings. Both of these approaches have provided sufficient evidences that back the belief that honor killings are executed due to either religious or traditional reasons (Fekete, 2006). These approaches have numerous supportive evidences. It is therefore cumbersome to dispute the linkages between honor killings and either traditional practices or religious beliefs. Through these researches, we are able to exactly point out the reasons why honor killings exist. It is evident that the communities that carry out this practice have either common traditions and cultural practices or common religious beliefs.
Due this type of knowledge, we are in a position to counter the effects of these vice and identify the regions that are affected by the same practice. Islamic and Hinduism religions have a large number of followers who observe honor killings, although their religions do not directly advocate for such a practice. Measures can be put in place that will ensure these religions are universally understood and the misinterpretations of their scriptures clarified (Fekete, 2006). Therefore, the approach that links religion to this practice carries some weight and should not be neglected.
However, this approach makes it very difficult to handle such vices in the immigrant-receiving nations where the original settlers of those countries do not practice honor killings (Fekete, 2006). If the religious and traditional approaches of study are employed in handling the issue, it is perceived as discrimination. People will complain of their traditional practices being discriminated. Complaints will arise on the grounds of religious discrimination. These will prove to be fatal and even unsolvable. Cultural stigmatization will also arise if such approaches are employed. These will mean other cultures will be seen as superior while others are degraded as inferior and barbaric. For instance in the western world, the western culture is generally perceived to be superior with a promise of fairness and equality compared to other cultures. This implies that an immigrant going to the west from regions that are known to practice honor killings will be discriminated against basing on culture. These eventually will affect the peaceful coexistence of communities in a multi-cultural state.
Muslims derive their culture from their religion as perceived by these approaches. This leads to reasoning that Islamic immigrants into a country may induce such a culture amongst the domestic population. Some immigrants are even forced to give up their religion and cultural practices in an effort of solving this problem of honor killing. Therefore, these approaches if used in countries where immigrant population is high, most communities will be stigmatized and be labeled as accomplices to criminal activities that may arise from gender relations (Fekete, 2006).
These approaches have raised some concerns from people from non-western states. Instances of civilians being killed for diverging from cultural practices, commonly known as “westernization” are on the rise especially in the Middle East regions. These can be attributed to the linkage of westernization with the fight against other religious and cultural practices. If fighting honor killings does not involve religious or cultural interventions, then such cases of innocent killings will not arise.
The use of religion as one of the roots of honor killings has resulted into some prejudgments that have proven to be fatally wrong. Most cases of domestic violence that results into death and in which a Muslim is involved, is usually assumed to be honor killing. Deaths that result from domestic violence are all over the world. Therefore, confusing such instance with honor killing affects how such cases are handled (Arin, 2001). It has made it difficult for some governments to put up measures of controlling domestic violence because of the confusion created by these two approaches.
It will be wrong to deny the involvement of religious beliefs in some of the honor killings. However, due to diversity around the world and the universal aspect of honor killings, employing such an approach in handling honor killings is ineffective (Feldner, 2000). The same applies to the traditional and cultural aspect of honor killings.
Although these perspectives have some weaknesses, the evidences documented are undeniable and prudent. The researchers in these approaches employed the evolutionary psychology theory. These theory tries to explain the reasons to why women are the most affected in honor killings as most communities are patriarchy, men dominated (Sev’er & Yurdakul, 2006). Religious practices are also controlled by men. These theory backs the approaches discussed above as the most formidable explanations as t why honor killings exist. These give reasons to why these approaches are the most followed and believable.
Although the two approaches give circumstantial evidences of honor killings, another approach can be used to handle this issue in a manner that there is no victimization. This approach puts a blind eye on cultural practices and religious beliefs of a people when looking into honor killings (Sev’er & Yurdakul, 2006). The latter approach can be used to change the lives of many people without creating any tension among communities in a country.
This approach is universal and can be used in any country since it is designed to minimize stigmatization of Hinduism and Islam followers who are the majority of people from regions perceived to perpetuate such killings. It looks into honor killings from a human dignity and the desire for right to life. Social structures for discrimination are also not utilized thereby creating a partial independence of this perspective to culture and religion (Crenshaw, 1991). This approach delinks honor killings from cultural practices and religious beliefs.
Using the intersectional theory, honor killings can be termed as a form of violence perpetrated against certain individuals in the community in an effort to maintain control over their actions (Arin, 2001). Educating people from this perspective creates a divergent but rich view on the atrocities that befall such a practice. In a case where immigrant population is involved aspects of gender, race, religious beliefs, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social classes are ignored when ascertaining the reasons that led to such a vice (Crenshaw, 1991). The ideas that certain religious beliefs and hence cultural practices are backward are to be neglected for successful intervention to be realized.
This approach therefore, takes honor killing as a form of domestic and gender related violence that is influenced by other practices such as cultural beliefs (Sen, 2005). This creates an independent look into honor killings. The use of other terms to try to explain circumstances around honor killings makes it easier for governments to come up with policies that will help control or even eliminate honor killings. There has been confusion between domestic violence and honor killings in the western world. This can be dealt with if an approach that offers conclusive classification is employed. This is due to the fact that domestic violence is universal. Since the world is a global village, then honor killings have equally become universal (Charif, 2006). The similarities between the two aspects have become too complex to distinguish.
All human beings know that killing is a detestable act. They may have been confused for centuries by evil-minded people to carry out such a crime. If a neutral method is employed when handling such cases, it is possible to eliminate honor killings (Arin, 2001). Researchers in this field must admit that the best solution from such a scenario is appreciating the rich cultural diversities of people around the world. This will enable persons from all aspects of life to be involved in handling the issue of honor killing without victimization. The latter creates resistance or stigmatization and may sometimes be interpreted as racism (Sev’er & Yurdakul, 2006). If people are allowed to practice their religion freely and carry out their cultural practices without humiliation, then it is quite easy to offer advice on how to avoid inhuman practices among various communities.
References
Ahmed, L. (1992). Women and Gender in Islam. New Haven: Yale University.
Arin, C. (2001). Femicide in the Name of Honor in Turkey. Violence Against Women 7(7), 821-825.
Charif, M (2006), Islam and liberty – The Historical misunderstanding. London: Zed Books
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review 43(6), 1241–1299.
Fekete, L. (2006). Enlightened fundamentalism? Immigration, feminism and the Right. Race and Class, 48(2), 1–22.
Feldner, Y. (2000). Honor’ Murders – Why the Perps Get off Easy. Middle East Quarterly 7(4), 22-35.
Hilal, I., O., Aysun Y. & Dogancan, O. (2009). Customary killings in Turkey and Turkish modernization. Middle Eastern Studies 45(4), 537 -551.
Sen, P. (2005). Crimes of honour, value and meaning: Honor Crimes, Paradigms and Violence against Women. London: Zed Books.
Sev’er, A. & Yurdakul, G. (2006). Culture of Honor, Culture of Change: A Feminist Analysis of Honor Killings in Rural Turkey. In Beyond Borders: Thinking Critically about Global Issues. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.