Honour killings: Diyarbakir's customs after migration

Tradition, which organizes social structure and has many positive functions, has been the source of death penalties which derive from honour having a long history in many places of the world. Customs, which refer to traditions especially including strict and definite punishments to deviations from social virtues, are laws formed by themselves in societies which have high degrees of kinship solidarity, low levels of education and are secluded. In such societies, men have been absolute authoritarians because of family solidarity; whereas women have been exposed to authority and beings that carry the power of the men with the code of honour. The phenomenon of honour, symbolizing the sexual purity, has considered each situation leading to a contrary idea in the society as a legal reason to eliminate a woman. Honour killing, sharing many features with all kinds of violence, has a distinct meaning because of displaying the inequality between man and woman more severely. Even if honour killing rates are in decreasing tendency thanks to more educational opportunities and rising urbanization, it still exists due to the long standing of patriarchal culture. However, developing communication technologies, increasing human rights and the consciousness of women independence, has made killing more apparent and a subject of discussion. Honour killings, like some places in the world where the traditional lifestyle persists, still exist as a tradition in east part of our country which includes our research field including Diyarbakır. On the other hand, effects of migration process which began in 90s led to initiatory changes in the lifestyles of people who massed in city centres. Many situations created by the desires of the youth, beginning to live the changes earlier than adults, increased the honour killings at first; but then immigrants, who were away from their economic and social supporting environment, had many problems and their value judgment began to corrode that result in many circumstances considered to be normal that may have been a reason for honour killings.