No Honor In Killing

Vanessa Münstermann
born: 1989
Acid throwing: 15 February 2016
Residence: Hannover
Origin: Victim: Germany; Perpetrators Brazil
Children: the perpetrator has 1 son with another woman
Perpetrator: her ex-boyfriend Daniel F. (32 years)

Vanessa is a beautician from Hanover. She works at her adoptive parents' gas station. On February 14, 2016, she files a complaint against her ex-boyfriend Daniel for sexual assault and stalking. The officers address him in an admonishing manner.

The next morning Vanessa takes her dog out early. Her ex-boyfriend lurks in front of her and pours sulphuric acid on her face. A woman hears the screams and calls an ambulance. Vanessa falls into a coma.

Vanessa is in a coma for 12 days and will be operated on 20 times. One ear is missing, one eye is almost completely destroyed, her left half of her face is mutilated forever.

In August 2016, the trial will take place at the Hanover District Court. Co-prisoners report that Daniel is bragging about his crime and threatens to cut his girlfriend open.

Daniel was born in Brazil and adopted in Germany. His adoptive parents are doctors. His profession is referred to as a fitness trainer. A woman from Hildesheim has a son with her who was born in 2014. There are eight cases of violence from this time.

At the end of August, the perpetrator was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for inflicting serious bodily harm. Daniel accepts the sentence in court. Later, he wrote a letter saying that he wanted 15 years' imprisonment. It is quite possible that he only expected more suffering for Vanessa from the revision. The case was rejected by the Federal Constitutional Court in April 2017.

The question remains whether this case is an honour crime. The motive lies in a mixture of exaggerated vanity, jealousy and general violence against women. An Islamic honour motive is lacking. Acid attacks are common in honour killings (in addition to stabbing/butchering). The man demonstrates his right to the woman. She is his own and shouldn't belong to anyone else.