Mehmet Goren was found guilty of murdering his 15-year old daughter Tulay ten years ago in the UK in a so-called “honor killing.” The case opens new discussion and growing outrage on the issue of honor crimes. Some say awareness will help prevent future crimes, while others say the practice continues to grow around the world.

Newsy takes a look at perspectives from the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Muslimah Media Watch and others.

Before her murder, Tulay had been dating a man who was twice her age and from a different branch of the Muslim religion. The BBC reports on what this meant to her father.

“According to the prosecution, that meant that behavior which brought shame or dishonor on the family was considered a stain which had to be cleansed at any cost, if necessary, by murder.”

Deutsche Welle reports on the tradition of honor killings which is more common in certain parts of the world.

“Here in southeastern Turkey, many view honor killings as part of their tradition…
In a recent survey here, 22 percent of the men questioned said it was justified to kill women for committing adultery.”

But the blog site Muslimah Media Watch says the practice is not a teaching of Islam, but an example of the very worst patriarchal violence.

“Those who justify honor killings may not give up “tradition” for a Western interpretation of human rights.”

SKY News says UK police feel better equipped today to protect victims of honor killings.

“The month before Tulay vanished, January 1999, police had four opportunities to help her… Police insist that Tulay never said she felt in fear of her life and they never suspected she was in such danger. They admit that in the ten years since, they’ve learned a lot more about the dynamics of so-called honor crime.”

On the BBC, an inspector on the Goren case agrees and talks about recent history of the practice.

“Since then, obviously there’s been raised awareness, there has been several high-profile cases of a similar nature to this one in the courts. And I think today, I’m convinced today, that should anyone go missing under similar circumstances to that which Tulay had, I think it will be picked up much earlier.”

But a guest on the FOX affiliate in Orlando says the practice is growing – all over the Muslim world and here in the U.S.

I don’t have any doubt there will be more honor killings in the United States because neither law enforcement authorities nor government authorities nor the Islamic community is doing anything to challenge the basis, the foundational assumptions that give rise to honor killings in the first place.”

The blog site “The Stump” says the concept of “honour killing” is more widespread than we think. The blogger says that women killed by male acquaintances in the Western societies are seen as random and without meaning, when many times, the justification is the same.

“The result is that Western ‘honour’ killings… are never named as such. Yet they conform to an individualistic culture, as much as Muslim honour killings do to a monotheistic patriarchal one”

So what do you think?  Should the world seek greater dialogue and understanding regarding honor killings?  Or is something more required -- a harsh crackdown on cultural violence against women?

World News

Father Found Guilty in Honor Killing

December 21, 2009
(3:17)
In the UK, Mehmet Goren was found guilty of murdering his daughter in a so-called “honor killing.” The media is asking questions about the practice.
   
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