Honor Based Violence and Domestic Violence

October Is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is a crucial month to bring light to the much needed issue that effects our society in a staggering way.

-1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime.
-Women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner than men
-Every year in the United States, 1 in 3 women who is a victim of homicide is murdered by her current or former partner.

Quite often, honor based violence is lumped into the same category as domestic violence. Honor based violence (HBV) is a form of domestic abuse which is perpetrated in the name of so called ‘honor'. The honor system is set at the discretion of cultural and societal norms that perpetuate violence against women through systemized and institutionalized misogyny. This generalizes the complex issues associated with honor based violence , which is often clustered with domestic abuse to paint a broad picture of violence against women.

Honor based violence is significantly distinct from spousal abuse and domestic violence. Women who do not abide by a given set of rules or code of conduct are punished for bringing shame upon the family or society. Infringements may include a woman having a boyfriend; rejecting a forced marriage; pregnancy outside of marriage; interfaith relationships; seeking divorce, inappropriate dress or make-up. If a woman is deemed too “Westernized”, she is violating the pre-determined and standardized role that is set for her. Key indicators inclusive of honor based violence include pressure to protect either self or familial reputation, which stems from social, cultural, or religious values.

Honor based crimes are not just perpetrated by a male partner. Many times, it is collective in nature, and extended family will incite or assist in carrying out the cycle of abuse. Perpetrators truly believe that the abuse is justifiable due to ingrained belief systems that are quite often supported by the family or community. It is tolerable, accepted, and normative in the nuclear family culture to carry on abuse if it violates their esteem or reputation. This makes social service interventions complicated, as they are now addressing multiple perpetrators and an ingrained ideology of violence that is staunchly supported.

Honor based violence differs from domestic violence in that it is a collectively learned set of behaviors and norms that are accepted by entire families and communities, which is then passed on from generation to generation. Many times, the abuse and violence is celebrated as a victory. A woman who defies the prescribed set of behavioral norms is stigmatized, shunned by family members, and isolated from her community. The sheer pressure to conform in order to keep the status quo leads to many women believing that they deserve to suffer the inflicted abuse.

This also leads to under-reporting of abuse, and simultaneously, honor based violence has been rising in occurrence. The United Nations Population Fund estimates that at least 5,000 women are killed each year for dishonoring their families. This is a grossly underestimated numbers, as many times the abuse is unreported. The price for breaking the honor system often results in fatal consequences. The “retaliation” differs drastically from cyclical domestic abuse in that it is swift in nature and quite often carried out in brute violence. Social service providers working with domestic violence cases struggle to categorize under a form of abuse that does not fit with their assessment profile. Law enforcement agencies are unable to prosecute perpetrators because of loopholes in the legal system that minimize punishments for motive.

There has still yet to exist a safe haven in the US for women and girls who fear that they may be murdered, justified in the name of honor. There is little to no protection offered for victims and survivors, as the opposition to intervention has been justified under the excuse of cultural sensitivity. What we need now is preventative measures, not reactive responses to the abuse that is silently being suffered by women. Awareness and outreach has extended onto a critical point for us to now take corrective action and be aware that honor based violence requires a different intervention than domestic violence.