Honour killing story: Gönül (2012)

Gönül
born:
Attempted murder: 20 November 2012
Residence: Schwanewede (Lower Saxony)
Origin: Turkey / Kurds / Yazidi
Children: 1 daughter (16 years), 1 son (13 years)
Perpetrator: her husband Resat D. (38 years)

Resat wants to impose a forced marriage between his family and his wife. But it fails, and so he forces his wife to break off contact with her family. However, it is said that the woman has become more and more self-assured. Probably she can't bear everything from him anymore.

Therefore he probably attacks her with an axe in November 2012. His children (who are beaten up) and a neighbour overpower him and call the police.

In May 2013, Resat is on trial for attempted murder in the District Court of Verden. In July 2013 the accused will be released. The charge is reduced to an attempt to inflict dangerous bodily harm, in which one of the children is threatened and attacked. The document states as justification: "The accused may have been humiliated by the trial". The outcome is unknown. Gönül is not the real name of the woman.

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.