Honor Killing: A Manifestation of Male Control over Women

Honor killing: Men's control over women

'Honor killings' have been practiced for centuries and are motivated by a distorted form of 'honour'. The communities that commit these crimes generally have a great emphasis on control of men over women. They are often motivated by the perception that a woman's behavior has dishonored their family or community.

Understanding honor killings

THE honor killing is a murder committed by family members against a close woman, because they believe that she has damaged the honor of their family. Often, these crimes are committed because a woman resisted an arranged marriage, was a victim of rape, or led an independent social or sexual life.

An issue of control and subjugation

At the heart of honor killings is the question of control of men over women. In many societies, there is a traditional belief that women are the property of men: they are under the control of their fathers, brothers and husbands. This means that their behavior directly reflects the family honor.

Solutions to combat honor killing

It is necessary to recognize and combat the honor killing as a serious violation of human rights. This means working for gender equality and ending control of men over women. Inclusive and egalitarian education is one of the most effective ways to dismantle toxic attitudes and beliefs that promote honor killing. It is through education that individuals can learn to respect human rights and gender equality. Furthermore, it takes a multi-level effort to eradicate this problem. Governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals must work together to promote women's rights, dignity and autonomy. It is a long process, but necessary to end this devastating practice.

Conclusion

Honor killings are an extreme and tragic example of control exercised by men over women, in certain sociocultural contexts. To put an end to these practices, it is necessary to work for a profound change in mentalities, by promoting real equality between the sexes. Each individual has a role to play by refusing to perpetuate these deadly traditions and by fighting for respect for women's rights.