Islam Means Misogyny: Honor Killing

Jordan is one of the most progressive Islamic countries in the Middle East. But the ideas of family honor tied to a daughter’s virginity is a tough islamic custom to break. And as more and more Islamic families are confronted with Westernized ideas of fashion and freedom for women, I expect that more of these honor killings may take place.

From the AP here:

AMMAN, Jordan – A Jordanian man fatally shot his 17-year-old daughter whom he suspected of having sex despite a medical exam that proved her chastity, an official said Thursday. The man surrendered to police hours after the killing, saying he had done it for family honor.

Weeks ago, the girl had returned home from a family protection clinic after doctors had vouched for her virginity and the father had signed a pledge not to harm her.

The father shot the girl four times in the head on Tuesday. On Wednesday, an autopsy was performed that again showed “she was still a virgin,” the pathologist said.

The crime is the first “honor killing” this year in Jordan, where many men consider sex out of wedlock to be an almost indelible stain on a family’s reputation. On average, about 20 women in the country are killed by their relatives in such cases each year. Women have been killed for simply dating.

How disgusting is it that women are routinely taken to a “family protection clinic” to verify their virginity? And how equally disgusting is it that in addition to determining the cause of death, the pathologist has to verify the condition of the hymen post mortem? What difference does that make when the woman’s skull has four bullet holes in it? Would the man receive a lighter sentence if the girl had lost her virginity? And when the father executed his daughter, did he make her face Mecca?