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.