1 Assistant Professor, School of Social Sciences and Languages, VIT University, Vellore, (TN)
2Associate Professor, VIT Business School, Vellore, (TN)
Online published on 16 January, 2016.
Violence strikes women from all kinds of backgrounds and of all ages. It can happen at work, on the street, or at home. Violence against women is a global phenomenon prevalent in all societies, but differs in its form from one society to another, depending on the level of development and the extent of patriarchal control within the family, as this system prevailed in human societies what is the definition of honour killing and what leads families to commit this heinous crime so that they can protect their family honour? Is this practice prevalent only in India or is it prevalent in other parts of the world also? What are the misconceptions regarding honour killing and what are the solutions to stop this crime from spreading? These are the questions that this article seeks to find an answer to the barbaric practice of honour killing also known as honour murder i.e. the killing of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family or community which is on rise in recent days.
Honour Killings-Heinous Crime-Dishonour Killings-Barbaric Practice
