Violence against Women- Murder is OK now?

I have been involved in a number of campaigns as a youth and community worker over the years to support the day to day lives and human rights of young and adult women. Sometimes the campaigns I have been involved in highlight the death and murder of women and everyday experiences for many, of domestic violence and abuse. The news of a murder of a young woman at a conference led by IKWRO ( Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation) held at Amnesty International offices last week is the most abhorrent and public statement of violence, power and control of one gender over another: men over women and campaigning to stop so called 'honour killings' and 'honour crimes' has to be supported, mobilised, and highlighted across the globe.













( pics campiagn speakers)

The young woman Du'a Khalil Aswad aged 17, had been murdered on 17th April 2007 in northern Iraq, through what is known as an 'honour killing'. This term is not accurate, but is common. It belies the fact that what has occured is the murder of a young woman led by 8 men and a marrauding 'tribe' of over 1000 men whom seemingly felt what they saw either not WORTH intervening for, in any attempt to stop it, or that by standing and watching, were colluding and agreeing in the attack.



This YOUNG FEMALE CHILD of 17 years of age, had apparently brought what was felt as some form of 'shame' upon her community. Members of her family were also involved in the murder.

They videoed their group attack on mobile phones and then published the video onto the internet.

What this 'public statement' also says is " we will exert power and control over you (Du'a and all women killed in the name of so called honour ) because we can. We are not stopped no-one will intervene and stop us from doing this, and no-one will want to anyway. We do this because we also feel you are not WORTH anything. You are less than human and as such we feel nothing towards you and your right to live free from harm and abuse, or to live at ALL. You are expendable and a tool to use for our aggression.

We enjoy the power and control we have over you and thereby, what we have done to you."

I have worked with girls/ young women and adult women for over 20 years in the UK and never have I been so outraged. I am concerned about a number of things which I have to list below:

• Murder of girls / young women and women through so called 'honour killing'
• The number of girls/ young women and older women murdered since 1991 - 33,000
  

33,000! murdered in the name of so called honour killing.

• The lack of combined public outrage across the world at this
  
• The position of women in society globally because of this
  
• The murder of women is what can be known as 'femininicide' a phrase highlighting homicide based on gender
• The numbers of women fleeing feared and expected violence and murder.
• The numbers of women whom have been forced to flee their own countries because of this
• The apathy or 'collusive agreement' of Security Forces, witnessing the attack and murder,whom were fully armed and could have at least shot warning shots in the air, failing to act
• 'Torture Porn' and 'femininicide' combined

I feel unable to share more today on this, but have provided the following links to find out information on this abhorrence that seemingly is allowed to continue in order for people MEN AND WOMEN & YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN to campaign.

My feelings at the conference were one of shock and a connection to something which I thought was a historical account of Hitler's naziism and ethnic cleansing and also of the medieval Witch Trials across Europe, brought slap bang into the present day. share your views below and post the links to your own blogs.

IKWRO website

http://www.stophonourkillings.com/

Amnesty International - web page on the murder of 17 year old Dua, Khalil Aswad

Madre - an International Women's Human Rights Organisation

For further support if you are fleeing violence connected to what may be a suspected or actual forced marriage, contact The Forced Marriage Unit - 0207 008 8759 http://www.fco.gov.uk/