How Many Honor Killings Unfold in America Each Year?

A report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Justice and released earlier this year found that there are an estimated 23-27 honor killings annually in America, though the numbers are not “completely reliable” due to a variety of challenges, according to a Fox News report . . .

[The report] found that there are essentially four types of honor violence that are frequently discussed and perpetuated: “forced marriage, honor-based domestic violence, honor killing, and female genital mutilation.”

The report also detailed that the vast majority of victims in North America — 91 percent — are believed to be killed for being “too Westernized,” Fox News reported.

Here’s how researchers define honor violence: “a mechanism to maintain or regain a family’s honor by punishing or eliminating girls and women whose actions invite rumors of sexual impropriety or disobedience. Boys and men may also be victims of honor violence if they violate sexual norms or defy patriarchal authority.”

Westat noted in the report that there is no reliable data regarding honor violence in America, though the phenomenon does appear to be rare. One reason that information is difficult to discern is the fact that honor violence is generally not spoken about by families in which it occurs. (Read more from “How Many Honor Killings Unfold in America Each Year?” HERE)

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