Honor Killing

To honor is to love, protect and defend. There is no honor in murder.

Family is the safest place for us. We are told to do things which maintain the honour of our family in the society. On the contrary, if you do anything against it, will you be killed? Or maybe the woman has to pay the price only.

Human Rights Watch defines "honor killings" as the acts of vengeance, usually death, committed by family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonor upon the family. A woman can be targeted by (individuals within) her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce—even from an abusive husband—or (allegedly) committing adultery. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a way that "dishonors" her family is sufficient to trigger an attack on her life.

The question is why a woman is held responsible for disrespecting the norms of her family or society? Have you ever heard a man killed by the family members? It even sounds unusual. A woman is a symbol of male dominance in society. They are controlled and always have to choose between freedom and death. This is an honour killing.

Qandeel Baloch, a Pakistani woman killed for dishonouring the rules of Islamic traditional values. She was a social media sensation in Pakistan. She was interviewed several times on news channels. She debated that it is her choice to live her life on her own terms. She was murdered anonymously. Not in Pakistan, countries like India, Egypt, Turkey and Jordan trace the cases of honor killing.

In Greek mythology, Helen was shown as an object to be secured and get to maintain manhood by the Trojans and Greeks. History is a witness for the incidents of wars on women. Women are depicted as a treasure to be kept safe and under control to satisfy the male ego.

We are planning to form a civilised social stature but then these cases shake its foundation. Is honour all about controlling women and forcing them to live on terms and conditions applied by the family? They also have the right to take decisions of their own life. After all, they are humans too.

The family she believes her own, how she gets to know that they don't want her anymore. Thinking that she is acceptable in her flaws to her family at least, when she gets to know that they think it's a matter of shame for them.

The day when she thinks of being independent and has taken the right decision for herself, she is found burnt or dead in any corner of her room. Sadly, the family which she’d love and support dishonoured her decision and killed her to save their honour.