Honor killing is a serious social issue and a disturbing form of control over women’s behaviour that needs to be addressed. Various efforts have been taken to decline incidences of honor killing, such as WHO and Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination against women, local activism and organisations, legal reformation, and even cinema to spread awareness among people.

Tony Iavarone Hamilton presents honor killing as ‘the darkest side of modernity’ and continues to take efforts to decrease or hopefully eliminate such crimes in most countries. Honor killing is merely a major problem with social violence or a consequence of religious rules. He argues honor killing must be addressed as a social problem and evaluated as a technique of social control in communities where women's behaviour and sexuality are communal values.

Honor Killing – The Most Serious and Violent Crime

Honor killing is a severe crime against women. It is a murder of a woman or girl by her male family member or sometimes community members because of disapproved sexual behaviour. It generally involves refusing marriage proposals, sex outside marriage, or even being raped or sexually assaulted. Even in modern times, it is perceived in many families, communities, or religious traditions that if women are seen disrespecting such traditions and bringing dishonor to family and community will lead to honor killing to restore respect.

Factors Leading to Violent Crime

Apart from religion and sexism, one factor that may cause honor killing is homicide, considered a socioeconomic disadvantage. It involves the criminal activity of killing one human by another. Respondents who support honor killing are typically associated with community groups and are less educated, belong to lower social classes, and misuse mass media such as the internet, TV, books, and newspapers.

The primary motivation for honor killing isn’t economic but a collective value or decision for this so-called lost honor. Despite the continuous emphasis of social theories on ethical differences and gender conflict, honor killing usually occurs within ethnically homogenous communities. 

Efforts to Decrease Incidents of Honor Killing

Understanding the cause of honor killing is the first step to solving the issue. When state and government authorities fail to provide security and welfare for society, different communities emerge to frame their own methods of survival and social informal control. 

Tony Iavarone Hamilton says in this context that efforts to curb this issue don’t necessarily lie in religious fundamentalism and sexism. He believes a more effective approach should be taken to combat honor killing by the systematic exclusion of minorities, society stereotypes, and stigmatisation.

Honor killing adversely affects society and this practice must be reduced or eliminated soon so every person can obtain the right to live and freedom of choice.