I remember few years back when I heard the term ‘honour killing’ for the first time; I went online to check the real meaning and it shocked me the same way it shocks me now. Honour killing - an act of vengeance, usually death, committed mostly by family members who are held to have brought dishonour upon the family. The loose term 'honour killing' applies to killing of both men and women in cultures that practice it. 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 'dishonours' her family is sufficient to trigger an attack on her life. Men can also be the victims of honour killings by members of the family of a woman with whom they are perceived to have an inappropriate relationship.
The result of people marrying without their family's acceptance, and sometimes for marrying outside their caste or religion is losing life. Isn’t it shocking that how a murder/suicide got a pretty modern and respected name ‘Honour Killing’! Wow! It says it all!
The total number of incidents of honour killings is hard to determine because the estimates vary widely. In most countries, data on honour killings is not collected systematically, and many of these killings are reported by the families as suicides and registered as such.
In India, honour killing is prevalent in the northern states, like Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. Punjab tops the chart with highest number of honour killings. According to data compiled by the Punjab Police, 34 honor killings were reported in the state between 2008 and 2010: 10 in 2008, 20 in 2009, and 4 in 2010. Haryana is also not far in the race of honour killings, mainly in the upper caste of society, among rajputs and jaats. Recently in May 2014, another honour killing case got highlighted in Karnal district of Haryana. Bhagalpur in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has also been notorious for honour killings.
I understand it hurts the feelings, but do you think violence will help? Like others, would you also kill your son/daughter or someone else if they love someone outside your caste? Will killing save your honour and fetch you an award of satisfaction? If yes, it means your concern about being shamed in your community is greater than your love for your child. I think this ‘honour’ might turn into ‘regret’ when you will not have that person around you. If you do it just out of anger, forgetting everything, you might end up in jail, and trust me, you will have nothing except depression and regret to a level that you might kill yourself someday. Put yourself in their shoes and think, if your parents would have attempted to kill you for going out with a girl outside your caste, how much honour they would have earned later? If you have answers to these questions, then you can make your decisions.
Look at the present situation of people involved in these killings. Do not ignore the fact that everyone has right to love and live with honour and respect in society. Don’t act as the Almighty of their life and endanger the liberty of young people on the basis of caste and so-called norms of culture.
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| Honour Killing |
The total number of incidents of honour killings is hard to determine because the estimates vary widely. In most countries, data on honour killings is not collected systematically, and many of these killings are reported by the families as suicides and registered as such.
In India, honour killing is prevalent in the northern states, like Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. Punjab tops the chart with highest number of honour killings. According to data compiled by the Punjab Police, 34 honor killings were reported in the state between 2008 and 2010: 10 in 2008, 20 in 2009, and 4 in 2010. Haryana is also not far in the race of honour killings, mainly in the upper caste of society, among rajputs and jaats. Recently in May 2014, another honour killing case got highlighted in Karnal district of Haryana. Bhagalpur in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has also been notorious for honour killings.
I understand it hurts the feelings, but do you think violence will help? Like others, would you also kill your son/daughter or someone else if they love someone outside your caste? Will killing save your honour and fetch you an award of satisfaction? If yes, it means your concern about being shamed in your community is greater than your love for your child. I think this ‘honour’ might turn into ‘regret’ when you will not have that person around you. If you do it just out of anger, forgetting everything, you might end up in jail, and trust me, you will have nothing except depression and regret to a level that you might kill yourself someday. Put yourself in their shoes and think, if your parents would have attempted to kill you for going out with a girl outside your caste, how much honour they would have earned later? If you have answers to these questions, then you can make your decisions.
Look at the present situation of people involved in these killings. Do not ignore the fact that everyone has right to love and live with honour and respect in society. Don’t act as the Almighty of their life and endanger the liberty of young people on the basis of caste and so-called norms of culture.
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