And I add to what you said that those women who struggle have a high price to pay .. ask me … I would know and the real hard way

I ‘ve given up on the system, it will not change just like that and society is just as bad as the system. if women did not struggle to earn their rights they will never have them.

after much consideration i have come to the conclusion that honor crimes are a very complex subject, honor itself is very frustrating to understand and deals a lot (if not entirely) on social perceptions. what is acceptable today was not acceptable decades ago and so forth. hence it is generational. but more importantly I believe women have come to represent the epitome of honor in a family or in other words if a family is a team then the woman represents its worst player. the one that is most likely to sin and bring shame on the family. that goes back to the concept of virginity, of sacredness, of men the protectors of women, and onwards to more modern perception of gender roles where a woman is considered a whore whereas a man is almost honored by his friends for some of his own sinful actions. So its a mix of many things and its has created this hardened substance that is very complex to dicepher.

I do know that the heart of this matter is changing social perceptions and reeducation, but as a Jordanian whose lived and seen I know this is not possible. society overpowers any system which seeks to dominate it. its the reason why kids know smoking is bad for them but do it anyways because its cool. society needs to change within itself and while reeducation is the politically correct way to go human beings do not live this way…human beings have laws forced on them, fear instilled in them, and they adapt and they change and they abandon the ways which are disadvantageous to their existance.

thank you for your comments and i will check out your blog God willing

cie, perhaps the most tragic thing about these crimes is not the death of the victim, but the justification of their death. thanx

Thank you for this post; it is really great to see Jordanian men go against “honor crimes”; this makes me happy and gives me some hope that things will change eventually.

I have commented on Rami’s post and debated with others on this very issue, and I remember hearing this same piece of news about “el nadweh” who killed his sister, and was thinking to myself; the only reason this is not treated as a regular premiditated crime that deserves life in jail; is that women are not thought of as humans; hence; it does not really matter.
Sometimes it makes me laugh and cry at the same tiem, because the most educated man can turn into a monster if one of “his” women was suspected on anything; kinda makes you sick!!
The change should start from the heart of our homes; from the people themselves; from the children that are brought up wrnogefully. Before deleting or changing this law; we need to add a lot of laws and regulations on domestic violence, because this is the trigger; man hits wife, son hits daughter, brother hits sister; then again man hits wife … what is wrong with the picture?

It is time that women are given their dignity and treated with respect. When man respects his wife and treats her like a partner in good and bad times … things then will start to change.

I don’t believe that the change will come from those who are responsible as they are already in a comfort zone so why change, after all; it’s always been done that way … (I wrote something about this on my blog; please see it here http://anolita.jeeran.com/mind/archive/2005/11/2645.html)

I wasn’t referring to those who’d go on a time share. I always question whether the people who need those houses most, are the ones who get them, you know what I mean? There are so many levels of poverty, too.

I counsel adult victims of childhood sexual abuse in Jordan. The overwhelming majority of cases I’ve seen involve the girl being abused by older brothers. This demeans her value (duh), and ‘presexialization’ actually then propels her into a more sexualized attitude that may mean promiscuity, which can result in the very brother who abused her being her executioner later. What could be more sick, more cruel, more evil? She pays for his theft of her honor.

I am so thankful that you jp guys are sharing the rage here. I wrote on Natasha’s blog long ago that things will change when vocal men take up the cause in Jordan. And it has to be your generation, as evidenced by the elders - they are too entrenched in HK’s cultural acceptence to change.

You all are the true men of honor. You can speak and model being men of strength, impact, and true ‘protection’ of women and change Jordan’s future for your little sisters and daughters. So please don’t tire of doing so.

I believe they should be removed, but I do understand that there is great opposition to just removing them in our society, and some of our illiterate parliament members unfortunately.

I think article 340 can be ammended so that it only applies to spouses, so that it excludes siblings, cousins, parents and children. This could be the first phase of ammendment to that law. The second phase could ask that the reduction only apply if it was evident without any doubt that the victim has actually committed the act of adultry, and that any post mortem test finding otherwise would nullify the reduction. The third phase would be to get rid of the article completely.

Article 98 I think is absurd, I personally would like to see it removed, but again I realize it’s not that easy. I think the first phase of ammendments to this article should add the condition that it doesn’t apply in cases where the killer and the victim are related. Latter on it can be removed.

If we can focus in the short term on the first phases of ammendments to these two articles that I mentioned above, and if we in Jordan succeed in doing so, then we will have put ourselves one step closer to solving this problem.

Unfortunately, I don’t think these articles will be removed just like that, I think they will have to go through phases like the ones I mentioned above.

SC, I share your anger totally.

Abu Sinan, yeah accountability covers many many factors when it comes to such crimes.

what the hell is that? and she hurt his feelings???

and the father and daughter case tells me one thing, some people do not deserve the right to raise their children the way they want, they do not and should not be given the right to discipline their sons and daughters the way they like. sadly, when I read about such cases I wonder if they would have occurred if we had laws that not only prevent honor killing but also physical abuse and coropal punishment like in the west. isn’t it sad how I find myself thinking of the west as an example and a role model? aren’t we supposed to set examples of morality, mercifulness and leaving judgement to God? *sigh*

With regards to the housings, its a great idea, I wonder if only the ones who really need the houses will get them, coz I think alot of people by now are starting to make calls to arrange a small flat for themselves, even if they don’t really need it.

With regards to the honor killings, I invite you to my blog, I’d really appreciate your opinion there. But one thing I’d say, that it is definately all connected, social, political and economic development, we badly need reform on all levels.