Defining the limits of honour crimes

Honour-related violence manifests itself in different forms. The original contribution made by this thesis is to offer a more comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. The limits of honour crimes must be defined more widely so that they include conducts and behaviours that originate from the patriarchal notion of honour, like honour-related oppression and breast ironing. Awareness of the different types of honour-related violence, as a subcategory of gender-based violence, is crucial for the protection of vulnerable victims, as most become victims just by being girls or women.
This doctrinal research offers a critical analysis and synthesis of the law, both in England and Wales and in the international human rights sphere. The relevant domestic legislation and cases are examined to reflect on whether adequate protection is provided for the victims and potential victims of honour-related violence. Since honour-related violence is a violation of human rights, some of the relevant international human rights law is examined to illustrate the perception of such crimes in the international arena.
The effectiveness of any remedy for victims of honour-related violence does depend on its capability to change deep rooted behaviours in communities with honour-related patriarchal values. This thesis will argue that the law does not provide the effective impact required, in part due to patriarchal structures, and that more efforts should be dedicated to changes in education. There is a need for an educational programme that is especially designed to tackle violence and promote gender equality, and this seems to be the only realistic hope.