Honour killing story

Arife
born: 1967
stabbed: September 11, 2010
Residence: Oberhausen
Origin: Turkey
Children: 3 children (12-24 years)
Perpetrator: her husband (45 years old at the time of the crime)
On the eve of the crime, there is a phone conversation between Arife's husband and a relative in Turkey. He ends it with "I will do what needs to be done." At 5:30 the next morning, he stabs his wife. She dies in the apartment. The eldest son witnesses the crime and tries to administer first aid. Presumably, he then calls the ambulance and the police. The other two siblings are also in the apartment, but still sleeping. The perpetrator has been arrested.

In the courtroom, the perpetrator gives three different versions of the crime (alcohol, self-defense, etc.). However, the traces at the crime scene show that the man drove his wife through the apartment and stabbed her again and again. The district court of Duisburg sentenced him in July 2011 for manslaughter to 11 years in prison.

The names of those involved are not known, nor are their antecedents. In court, however, the summoned family member from Turkey appears. This reassurance about the family, the planning of the act and the attitude of the perpetrator, he was quasi obliged to the act ("will do what must be done") point to an honor killing. Presumably, Arife wanted to extricate himself from the relationship. But nothing can be found about it. Any clues would be appreciated.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

Questions about honour killings

  • refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.

  • wants to end the relationship.

  • was the victim of rape or sexual assault.

  • was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.

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