Honor Killing


Definition of Honor Killing

Honor killing refers to the murder of a person, most often a female by her relatives, in the name of "honor." Honor killings are often performed when a person is believed to have brought shame to their family, typically through perceived sexual or marital misconduct.

In the United States, honor killings are viewed as murder and anyone who commits an honor killing can be prosecuted for murder.



Honor Killing Explained

Honor killings are more common in the Middle East and Southern Asia. They are usually tied to religious or local customs. However, they still do happen occasionally in America.

The victims of honor killings are most commonly young women. Only a very small percentage of honor killing victims are males.

It is estimated that as many as 5,000 honor killings take place around the world each year. Roughly half of these occur in India and Pakistan.





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