THE CONCEPT AND SOCIAL CONTEXT OF HONOUR KILLING IN INDIA

Honour and shame shape many social interactions in India. These ideas go back a long way.
They are based on systems of caste and family hierarchy as well as a community identity.
Honour is treated as a collective asset. This belongs not only to an individual but also the whole
family. The family is defined by the relatives’ perception of its members and their caste groups.
Honour is protected through control. Parents feel instilling a sense of discipline is an important
part of the process of socialisation. When someone breaks these rules, families feel social
pressure. People talk, judge, and question the status of the family. Shame becomes public, and
the family tries to avoid this at all costs.
Marriage, sexuality, purity, behaviour and loyalty to the family are linked to honour. In several
places, families want young adults to abide by certain rules in relations. Children are expected
to accept arranged marriage, maintain caste barriers and practice everything. Honour is also
tied to gender. Women are expected to represent family values. Their behaviour is constantly
monitored. People will think badly of the family if a woman uses her freedom to decide. This
fear of public shame is strong. It shapes decisions, reactions, and forms of punishment.
The community can put shame on you by gossiping about you, excluding you and judging you
as a group. Families fear these consequences. They impose strict controls on individual choices
to avert shame. This creates conflict between constitutional rights and community expectations.
In honouring someone, you control the relationship. When a family believes honour is at stake,
we see the use of extreme measures to restore social standing. Honour killing develops within
this environment. Individuals partake in this act to erase the sense of shame as well as regain
social approval, even though it is unlawful and against fundamental right