Honour killing is an ancient cultural practice
in which men murder female relatives
in the name of family “honour” for forced
or suspected sexual activity outside the
marriage, even when the women have
been victims of rape.16 Yotam Feldner,
a researcher at the Middle East Media
Research Institute, describes an honour
killing as one in which a man who refrains
from “washing shame with blood is a
coward who is not worth living, much less
a man.” Amandeep Singh Atwal, 17, of
British Columbia, was murdered in 2003
by her father, because she wanted to date
a non-Sikh classmate. Since 2002, 12
murders of women were identified as
honour killings; three other murders that
were identified as domestic violence also
have the hallmarks of an honour killing.
Each year, male family members murder
thousands of girls and women across the
globe in the name of family honour and
shame. In Canada, honour killings have
been carried out for staying out late,
wearing makeup, wearing Western clothes,
wanting to leave an abusive husband,
refusing an arranged marriage, dating,
socializing with someone outside the
community, etc.