International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research

Honour killings and honour related violence is a neglected area in criminology. Honour crimes are acts of violence, which are mostly committed by male family members predominantly against female [relatives], who are perceived to have brought dishonour upon the family. A woman can be targeted by individuals within her family for a variety of reasons, including: refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce even from an abusive husband, or (allegedly) committing adultery. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a specific way to “dishonour” her family, is sufficient to trigger an attack. The loose term of Honour killing applies to both males and females that practice it. The most obvious reason for this practice to continue in India is the fact that the caste system continues to be at its rigid best and also because people from the rural areas refuse to change their attitude towards marriage. Mostly women are victims of honour killings in India.