Honor Killings and the Power of Film

Very rarely do legal loopholes exist that allow thousands of murderers to entirely escape punishment. Yet, since ancient times, hundreds of thousands of self-proclaimed “honor killers” have enjoyed impunity for what they call “honor killings”: culturally or religiously motivated acts of violence against females accused of bringing shame upon their family or community.

In 2014 alone, over 900 Pakistani women and girls fell victim to such killings. Globally, about 5,000 women are killed in the name of honor each year. Shockingly, many human rights groups agree that many more killings actually take place yet go unreported because most attackers are family members. Even the murders that do get reported often result in no more than a small fine. How is this possible? In Pakistan, due to a legal loophole, there exists only one stipulation for the release of a convicted honor killer: the victim’s family need only formally express forgiveness of the perpetrator.

Until recent years, the issue of honor killings, typical of many cultures within the Middle East but particularly prevalent in Pakistan and India, remained largely avoided and unaddressed. Family and community members often find it easy to turn a blind eye to the flagrant injustices because they are often the perpetrators. Moreover, survivors are rare and often remain silent to escape further violence.

Yet recently, news of the horrors and realities of modern honor killings has surfaced due to the courage of survivor Saba Qaiser. Featured in Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Oscar-winning documentary, Saba is a young Pakistani woman whose father and uncle attempted to kill her after she eloped with an “unsuitable” man. Pressured by male elders, Saba formally forgave her culpable relatives in court and they escaped punishment; along with thousands of other men guilty of killing or attacking “dishonorable” female family members, they went free. This incident serves as merely one example of a twofold issue in the developing world: the execrable treatment of women and the subsequent impunity enjoyed by male perpetrators.

Researchers for a nonprofit American think-tank recently conducted a study on the specific reasons behind modern honor killings. They found that worldwide, 58% of honor killers exacted violence upon their victims solely because the latter were “too Western”; among other possibilities, the targets may have displayed too much independence or expressed desires to obtain a higher education. Honor killers also commonly cite incidents of female “sexual impropriety,” including rape, as justification for their crime. In other words, a sexually assaulted woman may come under fire by her family for a coercive act entirely beyond her control. Moreover, any woman “on whom suspicion has fallen” can fall victim to an honor crime; even if she’s innocent, the family possesses the legal right to exact punishment for their tarnished reputation.

Already, Obaid-Chinoy’s documentary on Saba’s story has had palpable effects on Pakistani society and politics. Upon watching the Oscar-winning film, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed a commitment to “rid Pakistan of this evil” by “bringing in appropriate legislation.” This is the first and most essential step that must be taken to combat the rising rate of honor killings; the current legal loophole merely serves as a catalyst for perpetuated maltreatment of Pakistani women. Furthermore, societal attitudes toward honor killings must be drastically altered. In an age rightly valuing respect for and tolerance of diverse customs, cultures, and religious practices, it is important to differentiate the practice of honor killing from other unique, nonviolent cultural and religious acts. Essentially, the beneficial spirit of tolerance must not be confused with turning a blind eye to barbaric acts that clearly violate morality.

Filmmaker Obaid-Chinoy exemplifies this necessity. Without her courage and initiative to capture the harrowing and very real effect of honor killings in Pakistan, the issue would not currently be at the forefront of human rights activism. Although she risked her reputation and even life by returning to Pakistan to document Saba’s story, Obaid-Chinoy’s powerful film has inspired thousands to take a stand against honor killings and demand punitive legislation worldwide.