The Muslim world of some men consists of spending their time defending the “honor” of their family against women in the family who do terrible things like talk on the telephone with a man or even talk with a cousin on the streets. Dalia Ghanem, a sixteen year old girl is missing and it is suspected she is another victim of “honor killing.” Her mother was the victim of honor killing as was an older sister. Six of her cousins were gunned down by the brave men of the family who shoot down defenseless women in the name of “honor.” During her forced marriage, Dalia sought help in battered women’s shelters only to return “home” to life with the “honor killers.” The Abu Ghanem clan numbers about 2,000 and it is common for girls to be pulled from school about twelve and married off.
How does one explain why Suleiman Abu Ghanem, a respected physician would conspire with members of the clan to get women killed?
Why are there no “honor killings” of men? Are we to assume men have “honor” and women simply don’t have “honor?”
