Ban the term "so-called" honour killings"

[areallthenamesusedup]

Am I wrong to think that we should stop using the term as it is sugar coating murder?

Using the word 'honour'...even with the prefix 'so-called'....is dressing something as "cultural" and thus disguises that these killings are just plain & simple misogyny.

Am I wrong to think that "so called-honour killings" are just murder.

It seems to be a term in wide use but I am genuinely puzzled why it is acceptable.

@Mariola321

This post has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

🤣

@Mariola321 you do realise you're going to get in trouble on here for this right?
And I'm laughing at you not with you.

OP it's a shame your post has descended to mayhem. You have a salient point

Murder is murder is murder 😭

I don't think of it as an alternarive to murder, more as a categorisation. You hear honour killing, you get the general gist of the specifics surrounding that murder.

Same with date rape (as mentioned by a pp) all this implies to me is the person used a drug to carry out the rape.

I don't think of either of these terms as warm and fluffy alternatives to the actual crimes.

I disagree that it 'sugar coats' the act. It just coldly explains the motivation behind the act. Honour is normally a positive word, but in this case it is there to clarify motivation.

It simply catagorises the type of murder, in no way sugar coating it.

Short hand way of communicating that it is a murder likely perpetrated by victim’s family for contravening their cultural or religious code.

It is very important for murders due to honour based violence are categorized as such, so that stats can be compiled, charities that advocate for women have campaigned for this. There are specially trained police officers in HBV for example and if there is no category and just a blanket murder charge this vital service would not exist. More awareness needs to be raised rather than it being lumped in with other murders. It's like saying we shouldn't call a paedophile a paedophile, just call them child abusers. The name doesn't glorify anything, it is a useful descriptor.

@Igotthemheavyboobs

I don't think of it as an alternarive to murder, more as a categorisation. You hear honour killing, you get the general gist of the specifics surrounding that murder.

Same with date rape (as mentioned by a pp) all this implies to me is the person used a drug to carry out the rape.

I don't think of either of these terms as warm and fluffy alternatives to the actual crimes.

Date rape does not imply the use of drugs! Date rape just implies the victim consented to spend time with someone who then attacked her.

@zatarontoast Very well put. The terminology really does matter.

yanbu
it's domestic violence resulting in murder

Yep. I also think we should stop using the passive 'was raped' as if there was no active party involved. So not 'a woman was raped' but 'a man raped a woman'.

If you don't attach the word honour to it though it looses its catagory. Maybe honour murders would be more apt.

Totally agree with child porn, it should be banned.

It's a useful descriptor, and needed to analyse patterns of crime, but there could be a better one.

I agree with murder rather than killing. People can be killed unintentionally, this is definitely murder.

I wonder if the word family could be incorporated somehow, as this seems to be about familial control.

DH is from a part of the world where you see these things happen (generally in a certain part of the county within a certain community). He hates the word ‘honour’ with reference to this - it implies that there is some sort of honour in these actions.

Serenity what does he suggest so we all know what type of murder it is? Cultural murder?

Medieval murder?

Don’t know - he calls then barbaric, ignorant bastards.

You can’t even say it’s ‘cultural’ because - in his county - it’s more common in a part of the country that is culturally and religiously (even names, food, and practices) much closer to their neighbouring country.

Maybe we just need a new word - that just covers the whole philosophy of ‘murdering your own child because you are a utter bullying controlling stupid bastard, and believe that anyone gives a shit about you, and in your mistaken belief that you have any standing in your community to lose’.

Some people use the term 'shame killing' which I think is better.

It is murder, pre-meditated and brutal. But it isn't just domestic violence leading to murder. It needs to be defined as honour-based, but I would prefer it to be called 'honour-based murder' rather than 'honour killing'.

Not heard that - but again it throws the implication that the child has ‘shamed’ the family (usually the father).