Some estimate that “honor killings” have risen 14-fold in Turkey in the last seven years. Others argue that the number of women being murdered by their families for breaking their “moral code” has not increased; rather, that which was always kept secret is now coming out into the open. Regardless, over a thousand were reported in 2009, and 2010 and 2011 have been no better.
Women in Muslim nations have always been helpless victims at the whim of their families. Often it is just enough to be a new wife, brought into the family at the cost of a dowry which impoverished the family and is now highly resented. These new wives are often misused and treated as slaves. Heaven help them if they do not quickly bear sons to justify their existence!
In this era, young women also watch television programs from the west which show girls who have been allowed to date and wear garments not allowed in their society. When they attempt to copy what they see, the family feels shamed and retaliation can be fatal. The Turkish government has created laws which are supposed to protect them, but the changes have not come very fast. For instance, the law mandates about 1,400 shelters, out of which only 65 have actually come into existence. Plus, the legal authorities are hesitant to break years of tradition.
We even read of such killings taking place here in the United States. Here, culture clashes with centuries of tradition at an even faster rate. However, in America we are not tolerant towards those who kill their daughters just because they disapprove of their behavior!
Life, especially female life, is held very cheaply in most of the world. Women are looked upon as property and things instead of people of worth. Islam speaks highly of men, but not so much of females. (Hence the huge number of virgins each martyr receives in heaven!) Thank goodness that Muslims do not believe in abortion or the slaughter would be much greater!
I will pursue this topic again tomorrow. I apologize that this blog came so late and is so short. I was gone all weekend to Indiana to see my grandsons and did not arrive back until this afternoon. So, until the morning….
Keeping it real! Barb
