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One of the worlds most hidden and heinous crimes is honor killings. Women are often murdered in all parts of the world for even slight rumor of dishonoring the family name. Hundreds of women of all ages are killed in the name of honor- most cases go unreported, and almost all go unpunished. Although a common occurrence in many middle eastern countries, this practice is virtually unknown in the western world, leaving millions unaware of the brutality of these killings. Honor killings can be defined as the killing of any person(s) to protect family honor. The majority of the victims are female. In middle eastern countries, women are often times seen as the property of the men. In such environments, marriage and motherhood is the ultimate path to status attainment (Sev’er 969). “The concept of ownership has turned women into a commodity which can be exchanged, bought, and sold” (Mayell 15). In addition to being seen as a possession, women have the cumber of not blackening the family name. In the Phatan language, the title given to these killings is “Karo Kari.” Phatan is the tribal group of people from usually the Northwestern frontier area in which there is no rule by government, but tribal rulings. This name is literally translated to “black man, black women” for blackening the family name. Karo is masculine, giving the label to the adulterer. Any woman that is even rumored to be dishonorable is named Kari. This practice has thrived for centuries. There are many reasons that people are killed, some rationale being: Marital infidelity, pre-marital sex, flirting, or even failing to serve a meal on time. In certain cases, a wife may be killed without proper reason. For example, a wife was killed by her husband because he dreamed that she betrayed him (Mayell 15). Another example of the shameless brutality is when a women was killed in Turkey because someone dedicated a love song to her on the radio (Mayell 15).
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