Honour killing story: Jane Doe (2020)

Jane Doe
born: 1984
stabbed: 21 June 2020
Residence: Cloppenburg (Lower Saxony)
Origin: unclear
Children: 1 son (2 years)
Perpetrator: a man (19 years at the time of the crime)

On June 21, a man stabbed a mother to death in a refugee shelter in Cloppenburg. Witnesses find the 2-year-old son unharmed next to the blood-soaked body. Jane dies on the spot.

The boy goes to youth care. The murder weapon has been found. It's "not a knife, but a stabbing weapon."

The perpetrator did not live in the refugee house and is not the father of the child. But he would have been the victim's partner. The difference in age (she: 36, he: 19) would be unusual. But it is also possible that there is something wrong with the age information.

The motive is unclear and with it the question whether this is an honour killing or not. We appreciate all information!

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.