Honor Killing

Abstract

Honor killing is a term that emerged in political discourse in the late twentieth century. Honor killings typically involve the murder of women and girls by male relatives, who justify homicide as a necessary means to guard family honor. Some feminists object to the term because it obscures the connections between honor killing and domestic violence more broadly. Others consider honor killing to be a culturally specific form of patriarchal violence that calls for distinct public policy interventions. The United Nations has led the global campaign to combat all forms of violence against women. It has compiled data to document the extent of honor crimes and it has urged nations to repeal laws that excuse honor killings on the basis of culture. A growing consensus has emerged that legal reform must be supplemented by community education to protect women from honor killings.