Honor Killings

Photograph

By: Lynsey Addario

Date: 2001

Source: © Lynsey Addario/Corbis.

About the Photographer: Lynsey Addario is a freelance photojournalist with a passion for human rights issues. She is best known for her coverage of women's issues in the developing world, including the treatment of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Time, Newsweek, National Geographic, and the Associated Press, among other publications. In 2002, Addario was named Young Photographer of the Year by the International Center of Photography and one of the Thirty Best Emerging Photographers by Photo District News. She was also awarded the Fujifilm Young Photographer Prize in 2005 for her coverage of life in Iraq before and during the American invasion. Originally from Westport, Connecticut, Addario holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and currently resides in Istabul, Turkey.

INTRODUCTION

The photograph below portrays the tragic aftermath of an attempted honor killing in Pakistan. The term "honor killing" refers to the premeditated murder of a female by members (generally male) of her own family in response to a perceived threat to family honor or esteem. Under the laws of Islam, women in Pakistan and many other predominantly Islamic countries are considered to be the property and responsibility of their male relatives, first of their father and brothers and then of their husbands when they marry. A woman's conduct is seen as reflective of the honor and reputation of her family. Any behavior that is deemed to bring shame or dishonor to the family may be punished with physical abuse or death. This abuse of women is sanctioned under Shar'iah, the traditional Islamic law that governs family matters and the everyday lives of Muslim followers. Honor killings and the abuse of women in the name of family honor have been known to occur in many Middle Eastern countries and among immigrants to western nations, but are particularly prevalent in the country of Pakistan.

PRIMARY SOURCE

HONOR KILLINGS

See primary source image.

SIGNIFICANCE

The perceived link between female sexuality and family honor is a strong one in fundamentally religious and patriarchal cultures. Women's sexuality, courtship, whom they may marry, their virginity and the loss of virginity in wedlock, and even separation and divorce are strongly regulated by the family. Any suggestion of impropriety is seen to cast a shadow on the reputation and esteem of the family, particularly its male members, and must be harshly punished in order to restore the family honor.

Honor killing takes many forms and is exacted in a variety of circumstances, all primarily related to sexual conduct or perceptions of impropriety on the part of the woman. Allegations of infidelity or pre-marital intercourse, disobedience to a male relative, refusal to participate in an arranged marriage, separation and divorce (even from an abusive husband), bearing a child out of wedlock, venturing into public without a chaperone, becoming the victim of a rape—all of these have been cited as reasons for the abuse or murder of women. Women have been raped, beaten, stoned to death, shot, strangled, burned alive, dismembered, disfigured, stabbed, and had their throats slashed. These atrocities are committed in the name of honor.

The United Nations' 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights … everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and … no one shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" (Articles 3, 1 and 5). The declaration also codifies the right to equal treatment and protection under the law and the right to marry a person of one's choosing and not to be forced into an unwanted marriage (Articles 7 and 16). Clearly, the practice of honor killing constitutes the violation of women's fundamental human rights as they are set out by the United Nations, yet the authorities of many Islamic countries have overlooked and condoned the abuse of women as the ritual practice of Shar'iah law.

Although Pakistan, like many other predominantly Islamic states, has a secular system of criminal law and prohibits murder and abuse, police and courts have regularly turned a blind eye to honor killings, failing to prevent or prosecute them. The state has generally allowed family disputes to be resolved under Shar'iah rather than through the secular legal system. This system affords no justice for women who lose their dignity and their lives at the hands of their family members. The principles of Qisas and Diyat in Shar'iah law allow the family of a murder victim to forgive the killer, or demand retribution or blood money. Since the perpetrators of honor killings are nearly always family members of the victim, they go unpunished when other relatives choose to forgive them.

Despite attempts to legitimize honor killing through its basis in cultural and religious beliefs, scholars such as Sev'er and Yurdakul (2001) argue that honor killings need to be considered as separate from the religious practice of Islam and considered as part of a larger continuum of patriarchy and misogyny that allows the abuse of women to take place. They point out that honor killings have been occurring since before the inception of Islam and Shar'iah and are not supported by the Qur'an. In fact, the justifications used for honor killings in Turkey are based in cultural notions of honor and not in religion. Feminists and human rights organizations have made efforts to increase international awareness of the systemic abuses of women in the Middle East, bringing media and public attention to the practice of honor killing and the role of patriarchy. While this problem is still rampant, progress is being made toward condemning and eradicating the abuse of women in the name of honor.

In January of 2005, President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf passed a law making honor killings illegal and punishable by death. Although murder has always been illegal in Pakistan, the "grave and sudden provocation" defense clause in Pakistan's legal system (inherited from the British common law) was used to justify and avoid conviction in cases of premeditated honor killings. In essence, the accused would argue that he was justified in committing the murder because he was provoked by the actions of the victim. Using this defense, the acquittal ratio was more than eighty percent in cases of honor killings. The new legislation precludes the use of the provocation defense, aiming to provide justice for the victims of these honor-based murders.

Honor killings occur most often in rural, socioeconomically depressed areas. Like any other human phenomenon, there are two sides to every story—honor killings are not always undertaken lightly, and the cultural importance placed on honor and respect leaves some men with little choice. Take for example the words of a Turkish farmer, cited by Sev'er and Yurdakal, who killed his own daughter: "I would not have want [sic] to harm my own child, but I had no choice. Nobody would buy my produce. I had to make a living for my other children." While remorse does not excuse the crime committed, this quote illustrates the complexity of the human emotions and cultural/religious beliefs involved in taking the life of a daughter, wife, or sister for the sake of honor. Many social, cultural, and legal changes are required to eliminate the practice of honor killing and protect the intrinsic human rights of Muslim women.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Periodicals

Hajjar, Lisa. "Religion, State Power, and Domestic Violence in Muslim Societies: A Framework for Comparative Analysis." Law & Social Inquiry 29, 1 (2004): 1-38.

Jamal, Amina. "Gender, Citizenship and the Nation-State in Pakistan: Willful Daughters or Free Citizens?" Signs 31, 2 (2006): 283-305.

Maris, Cees and Sawtiri Saharso. "Honour Killing: A Reflection on Gender, Culture and Violence." Netherlands Journal of Social Sciences 37, 1 (2001): 52-73.

Mullally, Siobhán. "'As Nearly as May Be': Debating Women's Human Rights in Pakistan." Social and Legal Studies 14, 3 (2005): 341-358.

Web sites

Amnesty International. "Pakistan: Honour Killings of Girls and Women." September 1, 1999. 〈http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engASA330181999〉 (accessed May 6, 2006).

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. "The State of Human Rights in 2005." 〈http://www.hrcp-web.org/ar_home_05.cfm〉 (accessed May 6, 2006).

United Nations. "Universal Declaration of Human Rights." December 10, 1948. 〈http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html〉 (accessed May 6, 2006).