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Femicide in the name of honor in Turkey
Study
Asia and the Pacific
Link of Source
Definition of "Honor Killings" or "Customary Murders"
"Honor killings or "customary murders" are intended to control women's sexual life in the broadest sense. In these traditional values, young women are expected to be virgins when they marry; they must be clean. This cleanliness is fragile and can be destroyed by the slightest acts, such as strolling alone in the town, asking for a love song on the radio, or flirting with a boy. Murder in the name of honor is the cost of freedom and love that some young women pay."
(Arin, 2001, pg. 822-823)
Between 1994 and 1998, in one small area of Turkey, five girls are known to have been killed by family members in the name of honor. These are the recorded cases, but according to the local chief prosecutor, these kinds of murders occur at least every 2 or 3 months. These feudal patriarchal traditions are also brought into cities through migration.
