This article critically analyzes the concept of honor killings, arguing that they are really just violence justified by a distorted sense of honor, and that true honor can never be achieved at the expense of life. Suggest why and how legal and social change is needed.
Honor killing is the killing of a member of a group by another for having tarnished the honor of the family, tribe, or community, with the idea that defending honor can justify the killing. But can honor be exalted alongside the act of murder? Honor cannot always be measured by the same standard, and there is a big difference between subjective honor, which is what you feel, and objective honor, which is what other people value. But even if each individual and each society has different values, can it shake the foundation of the universal concept of human dignity and surpass the value of life? I think it is impossible. Is it more dishonorable for a woman to be condemned for a behavior that is not in line with society’s values than to be killed by her father, or for a daughter to be condemned by others than to be killed by her own hand?
Throughout history, honor killings have been one of humanity’s oldest vices, and not unique to any particular region or culture. Honor killings are often tied to male-dominated social structures, which place undue responsibility on women for how their actions and decisions affect family honor. It’s a social ills that cannot be dismissed as the fault of the individual, and in many cases is exploited as a means to protect the honor of men, not women. Honor killings are still ongoing, and they are a serious violation of the fundamental human rights to life and dignity. So why do they still exist and are even tolerated in some societies? It shows how the concept of honor has been distorted and deviated from its original values.
Some argue that honor killings have exploded as Indian women have become more educated and confident in their ability to shape their own lives. In light of this, I wonder whose honor is honor in honor killings? I wonder if it’s just a way for men to rationalize their brutality as a way to keep smarter women down, to rationalize their male chauvinism. Most honor killings are committed by men against women, by those of lower caste against those of higher caste. True honor is a value that ‘anyone’ can have, either internally or externally, and since that is already impossible, honor killings that are committed only by those with vested interests should never be called honor killings.
The victims of honor killings are often women and marginalized groups, whose voices are often excluded from social and legal protection. These brutal acts in the name of honor actually function as a tool for maintaining regimes and power, which leads to greater social inequality. Therefore, honor killings should be recognized as a societal problem, not just an individual problem. There is no justification for the value of honor to be transformed into a tool for taking human life.
And one more thing: in honor killings, the perpetrators never feel guilty, but rather have a higher self-esteem for having defended their honor. Now, let’s assume that the killer has achieved the subjective honor mentioned above, but what about the objective honor judged by others? Honor killings are criticized and considered “evil” in all but a few cultures. I believe that true honor is achieved when both subjective and objective honor are in alignment, so the subjective sense of accomplishment gained through honor killings is only an illusion, and true honor can never be achieved through them.
Whenever such murders are committed, justice depends on how well the investigation is conducted, but in reality, the police are not free from the power of the government and politicians and are indifferent to women’s rights. There are ongoing calls to change the law, but the predominantly male membership of parliament and a patriarchal culture that values the honor of groups like family and tribe over the honor of the individual are obstacles to change. Politicians’ inaction and inaction to prevent incidents from recurring has led to an unsafe environment in which not only women but also people from lower caste groups fear for their lives. This is why simply outlawing honor killings will only make them illegal and will not fundamentally separate “honor” from “killing.” As women are only now taking to the streets to protest in countries where honor killings are practiced, it is imperative that the current generation is educated to make it clear that honor and killing can never go hand-in-hand, and that the concept of true honor is corrected. The link between ‘honor’ and ‘killing’ must be cut, along with the recognition that honor killings can no longer be about achieving subjective honor. This is the most fundamental, if not the fastest, way to change perceptions in each generation, because social values are relatively easily influenced by the perceptions of the people of that generation, and it is only by changing values that we can cut off the evil practice.
Only a sustained shift in perceptions can end the tragic practice of honor killings. It’s not just about protecting women’s human rights, it’s about protecting human dignity and the value of life. Legal, educational, and social efforts must work together to create a society where all human beings are recognized for their dignity and no one is subjected to violence in the name of honor.
