Violence in the name of honor : crimes against women Jordan as case study

Abstract

In light of the evolution of women's rights on the international level, and the increasing attention to the persistence of violence against women as a global phenomenon, the subject of this study stems out from the wide scope of the practice of honor crimes in the Arab world and its continued prevalence. While describing the different facets of these crimes, the study also aims at analyzing the underlying causes behind the practice in the general cultural frame of the Arab region. Tradition and the social module of female sexuality will be the interwoven link of the study, where as the examination of the code of honor, as allegedly the main source of these crimes, will show that notions of what defiles honor have continually widened beyond defiance of sexual norms to include other forms of perceived defiance of social norms by women, such as the choice of life style, or the claim for divorce. The role of religion; a major component of the Arab culture, will be tackled and the claim that these crimes are of Islamic origin will be considered and challenged. Particular attention will be given to the effects of modernity on the lives on women and on the incidence of crimes of honor. The study will also shed light on the evolution of horror crimes a human rights issue on the international level and specifically the approach of the United Nations in dealing with them. In addition, an analysis of the infringements of these crimes on women's fundamental rights will be core to this study. By defining the duties of the state under international law, Jordan will be taken as a paradigm to shed light on the situation of women's rights and the interaction between culture and law, tackling the idea of mitigation and impunity in statute or judicial practice for a crime of honor under the Jordanian Penal Code. Finally, the study will examine potential strategies to eradicate to the practice.