Honour killing story: Dilek (2020)

Dilek
born: 1998
Attempted murder: July 4, 2020
Residence: Heidelberg
Origin: unclear
Children: 1 daughter (2 years)
Perpetrator: her husband (23 years old at the time of the crime)

Little is known about this case: A 20-year-old woman has a 2-year-old daughter. They live in a social home in Heidelberg-Rohrbach. One may wonder whether this means a refugee shelter.

On July 4, 2020, the 23-year-old man attacks them both with a knife. Mother and daughter come to the hospital and survive. The perpetrator is arrested at the scene of the crime. Name and origin are unknown, it is also unclear whether an honorary motive plays a role or not.

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:

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.