In between honor, rebellion and patriarchy: Honor killings in India
By Namrata Namrata | February 9, 2024
Introduction
Recently the sight of a 20 year old young girl from rural India who was killed brutally by her family members for eloping with a boy from the neighborhood village raised several concerns for those campaigning for human rights for women. The concept of ‘honor’ in its traditional meaning is closely related to the reputation vested in male control over female sexual behavior and gender roles: typically female virginity and chastity. When a woman transgresses these gender expectations (e.g. the girl eloping), the honor of her male family members is perceived as being threatened, so the family resort to killing her in order to restore their honor-reputation and confirm male supremacy.
The limited and scarce data on honor killings shows that nearly 5,000 women and girls are annually killed for honor worldwide and almost one-third of them are from India and Pakistan. Furthermore, it is important to consider here that these numbers are highly under-reported; as a result, some reports even estimate that the number of honor killings that happen worldwide annually is actually around 20,000. Several reports again highlight the recent hike in honor killings in several countries like India, Iran and Jordan.
Considering the heinous nature of gender based violence, concerns related to gender-based violence have been widely debated as a major issue for human rights violations like gender equality, right to freedom, right to life etc. However, regardless of the constant spike and its brutal nature, honor based violence and killings have not received much attention at the policy level in major calls against ending gender-based violence. One of the reasons being, honor based violence and killings are considered some ethnic forms of domestic violence prevalent only in certain communities and parts of the world. However, research shows that honor killings occur among women from different ages, religion, social status or location. From the killing of Noor Almaleki in Phoenix, USA to the Manoj and Babli case in India, honor killings have continued to occur in myriad cultures, religions and communities around the world.
In the context of its omnipresence across the world, it further becomes crucial to examine honor-based violence and killings. Another factor that guides lack of data available on honor-based killings is because of its incontestable social acceptability within several communities like Jats in India. For instance, research shows how honor-based killings are often not considered as criminal acts within the communities but are rather seen as ‘heroic deeds’. Whereby, the perpetrators of honor-based killings are seen proudly displaying their actions and receiving considerable respect within their community.
In order to highlight the existing challenges and ramifications of crossing honor boundaries, in this essay I examine the plight of honor-based violence and killings in India.
Honor-based killings in India
One one hand over the years India has seen huge growth in terms of economic empowerment, on the other hand Indian society is still plagued by social evils like honor killings. According to a recent report by National Crime Record Bureau (2020) revealed that nearly 25 cases of honor killings were reported in the preceding year. While we all know how these numbers are highly underreported, another study highlights a spike in the cases of honor killings in India, especially when the couple involved intercaste relationships.
*Statistics showing Honor killings in India
Feminists and human rights campaigners have long criticized the use of the term “honor killing” to describe the homicides of women perpetrated by men purportedly for bringing shame upon or dishonoring their families. While many scholars have propagated that there is “no honor in honor killings”, many others have attempted to stigmatize the word for its inherently patriarchal nature.
Honor-based crimes are often committed to deter those who dare to trangress the gendered social boundaries set by the society. In order to constantly control women’s sexualities and bodies, honor most often takes several forms and meanings. For instance, media reports highlights how a girl was killed for talking to someone from the opposite sex over the phone; wearing western clothing; and in other cases women are killed because they fall in love with someone outside the community or even within the same clan (which is considered incest in many communities).
Ostracizing those who dare to transgress: violating basic human rights
The ever changing meanings and forms of honor further allow the persistent blaming of women (by the community) who dare to transgress honor boundaries. Women who tend to rebel against the honor codes are often ostracized by the society, are married off early, constantly vilified in the society and even are killed in many cases. Transgression of honor boundaries can have serious human rights concerns not only for those who transgress the social boundaries but also for those who are associated with them. For instance, the infamous Manoj and Babli honor killing case from India, the couple who were brutally killed in public even when they were accompanied by five police officers highlights violation of several human rights that pre and proceed the murder. In an interview at a famous television serial in India, Manoj’s (the victim) sister narrated how Manoj’s whole family have to face social ostracization and threats whereby they were ostracized by the entire village, constant threats of raping Manoj’s sister, cutting off basic human needs like electricity and groceries.
Locked in four walls: The inhabitable conditions of safe houses in India
Within the ambit of a society built on honor-based social boundaries, having any sexual desires, having any kind of romantic relationship or sometimes even friendship with the opposite sex is wholly impossible. Thus, to be a “good daughter”, one has to refrain from developing romantic interests prior to marriage arranged by the family. As a result, those who transgress these social boundaries of honor have no option but to elope from their homes. Previous research has shown how couples are compelled to leave their homes due to severe parental opposition to their ‘self-arranged’ relationship/marriage and subsequent threats of violence or even killing. In addition, there is increased opposition if the couple belonged to caste, class, religion, same sex or same gotra.
Alarmed by the hike in honor killings in several parts of the country, several states in India set up safe houses for run-away, interfaith, intercaste couples to safeguard them from familial and community horror/ brutality. However, the inhabitable conditions within these safe houses further violated the basic human needs and rights of these couples. Reports highlight how due to the fear of getting killed these couples could move out of these safe houses to work. Hence most couples who choose trangress honor codes further suffer from extreme financial crisis. For instance, in a recent media report a couple staying in one of these safe houses in India shares that “we have already spent ₹40,000 (~500$) since when we ran from home. Exacerbating matters, Sukhjit ( the boy) cannot return to work until he is sure that Tina’s (the victim girl) family will not harm them”. Furthermore, these safe houses are often overcrowded, making them inhabitable spaces to live in. Such extreme financial knot, psycho-socio fear of being killed further takes away the basic human rights like right to privacy, gender equality and even right to live from these couples.
Conclusion
The essay highlights how victims of honor-based violence and killings are trapped within the nexus of honor, rebellion and patriarchy. While reports have shown how solutions to protect the victims of honor-based violence (i.e, Safe houses, police protection etc.) have not been the most effective ways, it is important to critically examine the social embeddedness of such crimes within various patriarchal communities. Research on honor-based killings in India most often limits honor-based killings as a statistical variable, by further questioning the inadequacy of data due to lack of reporting. The vast research based on content analysis of news reports further makes the situation worse by again seeing honor as dangerous and countable only when someone is killed. While, under-reporting is again not only a statistical concern but involves negation, acceptance even by the police and lack of protection and trust within the protection institutions and systems. The lack of ethnographic research and the sustained emphasis on honor-based abuse as only honor-based killing make the plight of a rebellion in the patriarchal honor-based society invisible. This calls for attention to the need for more anecdotes about the existing honor-based violence. Not only to narrate the rare horror stories like Manoj and Babli, but also to highlight the stories of resistance, resilience, and struggle. What happens when a girl tries to rebel against the powerful honor-based abuse in society? Moving beyond killing, what happens to those who stay in society to fight against the patriarchal society for their love? Thinking in this line will allow us to deeply interrogate the social context in order to look for further solutions.
