An honor killing, or honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community.
The perceived dishonor is normally the result of one of the following behaviors, or the suspicion of such behaviors: dressing in a manner unacceptable to the family or community, wanting to terminate or prevent an arranged marriage or desiring to marry by own choice, especially if to a member of a social group deemed inappropriate, engaging in heterosexual acts outside marriage and engaging in homosexual acts.
Many women's groups in the Middle East and Southwest Asia suspect that more than 20,000 women are honor killed each year.
Read more about Honor Killing: Definitions, Culture, Religion, Evolutionary Psychology, Honor Killings in History, Locations, In National Legal Codes, Support and Sanction
Famous quotes containing the words honor and/or killing:
“To save our imperiled honor everything must be sacrificed, even virtue.”
—Jean Racine (1639–1699)
“Mary: Oh, Dan, when is this trouble going to end? This killing and more killing.
Dan: It’s hard on you women, I know. You’re braver than we are.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)