INTRODUCTION:
In many elements of the world, a chilling shadow hangs over communities—a shadow solid by the frightening phenomenon known as honour killings. This exercise, born from a poisonous combo of tradition, patriarchy, and out of place notions of honour, stands as a stark reminder of the grave injustices nonetheless endured by means of limitless individuals, in particular girls, in our society.
An honour killing, as its call indicates, is a brutal act committed inside the call of keeping own family honour. It is an act of violence perpetrated towards people, often women, who are deemed to have introduced shame or dishonour upon their families or groups thru their actions or selections. These actions can range from pursuing schooling, engaging in relationships deemed inappropriate by using societal requirements, in search of independence, or honestly refusing to comply to oppressive norms.
In the following discourse, we can delve deeper into the basis causes of honour killings, take a look at their devastating impact on individuals and communities, and explore the pressing need for concerted movement to eliminate this abhorrent practice as soon as and for all. Together, let us confront this grave injustice with braveness, compassion, and unwavering solve.
To be unequivocally clean: there’s no honour in killing. There isn’t any justification, no excuse, and no clarification for taking the lifestyles of some other human being, regardless of the circumstances. Honour killings aren’t approximately preserving honour; they are approximately exerting power and manage over women, denying them their fundamental rights, and perpetuating a cycle of fear and oppression.
Every year, endless lives are lost to this heinous crime, and countless others live in consistent fear of becoming its next victim. These victims are daughters, sisters, moms, and friends—individuals with hopes, desires, and aspirations. They deserve dignity, recognize, and the right to live unfastened from violence and fear. As a society, we cannot turn a blind eye to this grave injustice. We need to stand together to condemn honour killings in the most powerful possible phrases and work tirelessly to eradicate the poisonous ideals and attitudes that allow them to persist. This requires complete efforts on the societal, prison, and academic stages.
The intention of the prevailing article is two-fold. Firstly, we intend to expose that what sincerely an ‘honour killing’ means and what are the motives behind its prevalence. Secondly, we are able to be going to peer that what are the numerous legal guidelines are present immediately within the us Towards the ‘honour killing’ and could try to find what extra-legal guidelines have to be there to prevent this sort of heinous crime.
Honour killings, also known as “crimes of passion” or “honour-based violence,” are perpetrated against individuals, typically women, who are perceived to have brought dishonour to their family or community. These killings are deeply rooted in cultural, social, and patriarchal norms. Some of the primary causes of honour killings include:
1. Cultural and Traditional Beliefs: Honour killings often stem from deeply ingrained cultural and traditional beliefs that dictate specific codes of conduct, particularly regarding gender roles, sexuality, and family honour. In many societies, maintaining family honour is considered paramount, and any perceived transgression, such as premarital sex, adultery, or even seeking independence or choosing a partner against family wishes, can result in severe consequences.
2. Patriarchal Structures: Many societies with high rates of honour killings are characterized by patriarchal structures where men hold significant power and authority over women’s lives. Women are often seen as the property of male family members, and any action that challenges male dominance or control over female behavior can be viewed as a threat to family honour.
3. Religious Interpretations: In some cases, religious interpretations and teachings are used to justify honour killings. However, it’s essential to note that honour killings are not exclusive to any particular religion and can occur in various cultural and religious contexts.
4. Family and Community Pressure: Families and communities play a crucial role in enforcing social norms and maintaining honour codes. Pressure from relatives, neighbors, or community leaders to uphold honour can contribute to the perpetuation of honour killings. Failure to act against perceived dishonour may result in social ostracization or loss of status within the community.
5. Fear of Social Stigma and Shame: Individuals may commit honour killings out of fear of social stigma and shame associated with perceived family dishonour. The fear of being ostracized by the community or facing public humiliation can compel individuals to resort to extreme measures to restore or preserve family honour.
6. Economic Factors: Economic considerations may also play a role in honour killings, particularly concerning issues such as dowry disputes, inheritance, or financial dependency. Economic pressures can exacerbate tensions within families and communities, leading to violent responses to perceived threats to honour.
Addressing honour killings requires comprehensive efforts to challenge deep-seated cultural norms, promote gender equality, strengthen legal frameworks, and provide support services for victims and survivors. It demands a multifaceted approach involving collaboration between governments, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and communities to change attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate violence in the name of honour.
LEGAL ASPECTS
The murders come under the overall classes of homicide or manslaughter. Sometimes the respect killings also are executed by means of a mob and so whilst a mob has completed such attacks, it becomes tough to pinpoint a perpetrator. The collection of evidence will become intricate and eyewitnesses are never imminent. But nonetheless despite the fact that we don’t have any regulation to cope with it especially in India but we’ve got judicial precedence over it. There are also some payments which might be within the latent degree towards the honor killings, which are deliberate to be delivered within the parliament quicker. Let us discuss them below the subsequent heads as we already understand that ‘honour killing’ are not so distinct from the homicide; so, we have already the subsequent sections of Indian Penal Code, 1862, to punish the perpetrators at the back of the honour killings. Those can be noted as follows-
Sections 299-304: Penalizes any person guilty of murder and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The punishment for murder is life sentence or death and fine. Section 307: Penalizes attempt to murder with imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine. If a person is hurt, the penalty can extend to life imprisonment.
Section 308: Penalizes attempt to commit culpable homicide by imprisonment for upto 3 years or with fine or with both.
Section 120A and B: Penalizes any person who is a party to a criminal conspiracy.
Sections 107-116: Penalizes persons for abetment of offences including murder and culpable homicide.
Section 34 and 35: Penalizes criminal acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention.
Also, along with that the perpetrators in ‘honour killing’ can be punished under the various articles of Constitution of India. We can see that the “honour killings” are the violation of the following constitutional provisions:
1. Article 14 (the Right to Equality),
2. Article 15 (1) and (3) (Prohibition of Discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth),
3. Article 17 (Abolition of Untouchability),
4. Article 19 (1) (the Freedom to Speech and Expression)
5. Article 21 (the Right to Life and Personal Liberty)
One of the Landmark judgements on Honour Killing case by Punjab – Haryana High Court
Smt. Chandrapati vs State of Haryana And Others on 27 May, 2011
Manoj and Babli were the victims of the case. They had loved each other and thus eloped and got married to each other. The family members on knowing this got furious and found the victims. The family had taken the case to the khap panchayat who initially stated that any person who has contact with the victim would have to pay 25,000 and hence no person should contact them. After finding their whereabouts, the family had brought them before the khap panchayat who was also against the marriage.
They gave the decision against the victim because the victims belonged to different caste. The decision was religious- caste based for the interest of the society. The khap panchayat was also the accused who involved in killing of the victim due honouring of the family. Relatives of Babli were involved in the murder as Babli’s grandfather was the khap leader. Nevertheless, the victims were abducted and killed by them.
Court Decision:
However, when this matter went before the court of Karnal district, they had sentenced five perpetrators who were involved in the murder to life sentence. This is the first honour killing case hitting as landmark judgment on giving life sentence to the accused of honour killing. The driver who involved in the abduction was sentenced to imprisonment of seven years. Honour killing is also considered as the most serious offence.
SUGGESTIONS
Curbing honour killings requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses legal, social, cultural, and economic factors. Here are some suggestions for tackling this issue:
Legal Reforms:
Enact specific legislation to address honour killings, providing for harsher penalties for perpetrators and ensuring that such crimes are prosecuted effectively.
Strengthen law enforcement agencies and judiciary to ensure timely investigation and trial of honour killing cases.
Provide specialized training to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and judges to handle honour killing cases sensitively and effectively.
Awareness and Education:
Launch public awareness campaigns to challenge cultural norms and attitudes that condone honour killings.
Conduct educational programs in schools, colleges, and communities to promote gender equality, human rights, and respect for individual autonomy.
Engage religious and community leaders to speak out against honour killings and promote messages of tolerance and respect for human dignity.
Support Services:
Establish support services, including shelters and hotlines, for individuals at risk of honour-based violence, providing them with a safe refuge and assistance to escape abusive situations.
Provide counseling and rehabilitation services for survivors of honour-based violence, addressing their physical, emotional, and social needs.
Empowerment of Women:
Promote women’s empowerment through initiatives such as education, skills training, and economic opportunities, enabling them to assert their rights and make independent choices.
Encourage women’s participation in decision-making processes at all levels of society, including within families and communities.
Community Engagement:
Foster dialogue and engagement within communities to challenge harmful practices and promote alternative notions of honour based on dignity, equality, and respect.Support grassroots initiatives and community-led interventions aimed at preventing honour-based violence and supporting victims and survivors.
International Cooperation:
Collaborate with international organizations, NGOs, and other countries to share best practices, resources, and expertise in addressing honour-based violence.
Advocate for the inclusion of honour killings and related issues in international human rights agendas and frameworks.
Data Collection and Research:
Improve data collection mechanisms to accurately assess the prevalence and patterns of honour killings and related forms of violence.
Conduct research to better understand the underlying causes and dynamics of honour-based violence and inform evidence-based interventions.
By implementing these measures in a coordinated manner, governments, civil society organizations, and communities can work together to prevent honour killings and create societies where every individual is treated with dignity, equality, and respect.
