“Honor crimes” stem from “a desire to control the behavior of women and girls within a society.” In patriarchal societies, women often bear the burden of a family’s honour. In the east, “honor crimes” are a result of several factors. Lack of education, and cultural, ethnic or tribal values are to name a few. Add to it the corrupt police force, the feudal system inherited from colonial rulers, the pathetically slow judicial system, and the problem multiplies.
Having said that, honour killings do not take place in just the eastern part of the world. When honour killings occur in the West, many people including the police, shy away from calling it honour killings. “Marital post-battering or femicide” are some of the sugar-coated words used to describe such an incident.
In 2002 and gain in 2004, the UN brought a resolution to end honour killings and other honour-related crimes. In the 2004 meeting in The Hague, the rising tide of honour killings in Europe was discussed.
As such the issue is of global nature and not confined to a particular part of the world or to any particular country for that matter.