Why honor is worth more than a life : A literature review about ’so called’ honor violence

Abstract: Background: In honor culture the family’s honor is valued by the girl’s or the woman’s social and sexual behavior, in her virginity, and is therefore dependent on how well she can manage the deeply rooted traditional norms that describes what is acceptable or not. Anyone who violates these norms and rules must be punished, and the most extreme form is killings, ‘so called’ honor killings, sanctioned by the community. This is because family honor means everything, more than a life. Oppression and violence in the name of ‘so called’ honor prevent girls and women to make choices about their own life. It restricts them in their everyday life, and is an act of serious discrimination and violation against human rights. More research is needed in this field. Aim: The aim of this literature review was to investigate the factors behind the violence and oppression practiced in the name of ’so called’ honor. Method: The study was conducted as a qualitative literature review based on guidelines for systematic literature review. Nine articles based on research in Jordan, Lebanon, Occupied Palestine, Pakistan, Turkey and Yemen were studied and analyzed with a content analysis. Result: The findings showed three themes that highlight reasons behind the ‘so called’ honor violence; social institutions, social dynamics and welfare state. The honor values are set by the cultural, traditional and patrilineal values, well embedded in the social behavior. The honor values compound reputation, family loyalty and female chastity, and are stronger in less developed regions with a tribal structure, and where the welfare state is weak. Conclusion: The factors behind the honor violence have traditional and sociocultural traits, but can be explained by economical and social problems. In poor socioeconomic settings, honor is the family’s insurance for their well-being. Further in-depth research is needed to find out more about this correlation.