Honour killing story: Johanna B. (2014)

Johanna B.
born: 1998
stabbed 19/20 September 2014
Residence: Münster
Origin: Victim: Germany; perpetrator: Morocco
Children: none
Perpetrator: her ex-boyfriend Pascal P. (24 years)

Pascal studies social work and is a German-Moroccan rapper named Percee. He records a song with the green politician Hans-Christian Ströbele.

Since a few months Johanna, a high school student, is his girlfriend. She wants to end the relationship, which he doesn't want to accept. For unknown reasons, Johanna drives to his apartment late in the night of 19 to 20 September. He may have asked her for an interview.

Pascal has stabbed Johanna 50 times with a knife in his apartment. She tries to escape, but collapses in the hallway and bleeds to death. Neighbors call the police. The perpetrator flees, later throws himself off a parking deck and dies.

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.