1,200 Turks Died in Honor Killings and Feuds

(Ankara, Turkey) Government data indicates that 1,190 lives have been taken in Turkey in the last six years by honor killings and feuds. This occurred despite tougher penalties for murder.

From METimes.com:

The figures show that most of the victims and suspected perpetrators were from the country's mainly Kurdish east and southeast, where the practice of killing to clear one's honor is still widespread among the largely feudal population, according to a police statement.

Of the victims, 710 were male and 480 female.

The most common motive - found in 29 percent of murders - was to cleanse honor.

The government and civic groups have in recent years stepped up efforts to stamp out honor killings, but opinion polls have shown that they enjoy considerable support among the population.

A survey published in October found that 37 percent of people in Diyarbakir, the main city of the predominantly Kurdish southeast, believe that a woman who has an extramarital affair should be killed. Only 16 percent said that she should not be punished.

When it comes to adultery, it appears only women can stain the honor of the family and over a third of the population thinks they should die for it. Interestingly, honor-staining seems to be subjective with women occasionally dying for simply "talking to strange men or requesting a song on the radio."

Pro-Muslim feminists may want to revisit their opinion. Islam is not very friendly to independently-minded women. Or men, for that matter.

Companion post at In The Bullpen.