Women around the world are fighting battles that should never have existed in the first place. They battle for equality, voice and safety and most of all, they battle to simply stay alive.
Honourable killings are a form of violence used to control behaviour, especially in women. The murder of a person is often committed by their own family members or community, believing the victim has brought dishonour or shame upon the family name and reputation.
The “shame”, so to speak, is forced choices that women don’t want to make, such as refusal of arranged marriage (often young girls), leaving an abusive partner, refusal of wearing a hijab and marrying someone outside religion or culture.
According to the Government, UK Official Statistics on the Forced Marriage Unit 2024, the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) gave support and advice in 240 cases related to a possible forced marriage and possible female genital mutilation (FGM).
Around 15% of the cases involved victims who were aged 15 and under and 19% of cases involved victims who were aged 16 to 17. This is a 9% increase compared to 2023 regarding cases in which the victim was aged 17 years or under.
The honour killings are often justified by claims of protecting the family’s cultural values and traditions. But the truth is that they are acts of control, rooted in misogyny, wielded to punish women for the perceived shame of choice and independence. Stepping outside rigid expectations is not a dishonour but power.
Karma Nirvana, a leading UK charity supporting victims of Honour Based Abuse (HBA), revealed a concerning rise with 2,962 cases reported over April 2023 to March 2024. The helpline received 795 contacts per month and handled 247 cases monthly. This highlights the urgent awareness and action we need to take to protect the victims.
It is impossible to justify the killing of a woman with any ethical or moral framework that respects human dignity. Yet it is very normalised in many countries and often praised. Many victims turn to their family for help when being abused by their partners, but they are often sent back, as it is believed that divorce is shameful and forbidden. The victims are forced to “deal” with their spouse’s abuse and are often blamed for it.
According to Savera UK, a leading charity to end honour-based abuse, an estimated 5,000 people per year globally are murdered because of honour killings. In the UK, there are an estimated 13 to 15 honour killings each year. However, many cases are not addressed due to a lack of reporting and awareness.
Karma Nirvana data shows that most victims of abuse history were 90% women, with 36% aged between 18 and 25. Around 23% of victims have an insecure immigration status, which complicates their ability to escape the abuse.
A woman’s life is not a bargaining chip for social approval. Her choices, clothing, education, relationships or mere existence should not justify violence. Honour should be built on compassion and responsibility, not bloodshed.
To end honour killings, societies must confront structures that enable them, such as sexist laws, culture and religion and silence. Change cannot happen until we refuse to accept cultural norms as an excuse for cruelty. Any tradition that demands the life of a woman does not deserve to survive.
Killing a woman in the name of honour is not protecting the family’s dignity; it is destroying it. Real honour lies in standing up for women’s rights and supporting their fight for freedom.
As a society, we have failed to address this type of abuse being praised and normalised. It’s time to stop calling crimes “honourable,” and until more people understand this truth, we will continue to see many innocent lives being lost in horrible ways.
There is no honour in taking women’s lives, only heartbreak. We need to fight for justice, spread more awareness and urgent change.
