UK: Honour killing inquiry into police actions
The father and uncle of a young Kurdish woman, Bahnaz Mahmood, have been convicted of her murder in what is being described as an "honour killing." Now, there is to be an inquiry into the police handling of Bahnooz's various reports of earlier mistreatment. The Guardian notes that :
The key question for the police disciplinary inquiry into the death of Banaz Mahmod will be the actions of officers on New Year's Eve 2005. On that day Ms Mahmod told PC Angela Cornes how her father had plied her with alcohol and tried to kill her. PC Cornes dismissed her as being manipulative and melodramatic. She failed to record the murder allegation and instead, together with her inspector, considered charging Ms Mahmod for a broken window that she smashed to escape.
Ms Mahmod had repeatedly reported her family were planning to kill her. On December 4 she went to Mitcham station to report her uncle's threats and threatening telephone calls. A week later, on December 12, she handed in a list of names she suspected of being involved in a plot. The last contact she had with police was on January 23 2006, when she told of further threats on her life and an attempt to kill her boyfriend the previous night.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2100800,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2100831,00.html
There was a woman interviewed about this case (unfortunately I didn't catch her name, I believe she was academic) on GMTV Newshour this morning by Penny Smith. Smith asked her why women within the family in "honour killings" such as the mother and aunts did not stop their husbands carrying out these attacks. She stated that because these killings take place within a system of patriarchy, the women collude with the men by remaining silent. Whilst heartened to hear the P word uttered on tabloid TV, I can't help but think this is only going to perpetuate the notion that women within certain cultures are inherently powerless. I think it would be better to concentrate on why certain behaviours by men are tolerated in the name of cultural practices. Have gender issues been overlooked in the rush to accommodate cultural difference? Why aren't these hideous beliefs and practices being educated out of people? It isn't culturally insensitive to speak out against what is essentially domestic violence, it's common sense!
The key question for the police disciplinary inquiry into the death of Banaz Mahmod will be the actions of officers on New Year's Eve 2005. On that day Ms Mahmod told PC Angela Cornes how her father had plied her with alcohol and tried to kill her. PC Cornes dismissed her as being manipulative and melodramatic. She failed to record the murder allegation and instead, together with her inspector, considered charging Ms Mahmod for a broken window that she smashed to escape.
Ms Mahmod had repeatedly reported her family were planning to kill her. On December 4 she went to Mitcham station to report her uncle's threats and threatening telephone calls. A week later, on December 12, she handed in a list of names she suspected of being involved in a plot. The last contact she had with police was on January 23 2006, when she told of further threats on her life and an attempt to kill her boyfriend the previous night.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2100800,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2100831,00.html
There was a woman interviewed about this case (unfortunately I didn't catch her name, I believe she was academic) on GMTV Newshour this morning by Penny Smith. Smith asked her why women within the family in "honour killings" such as the mother and aunts did not stop their husbands carrying out these attacks. She stated that because these killings take place within a system of patriarchy, the women collude with the men by remaining silent. Whilst heartened to hear the P word uttered on tabloid TV, I can't help but think this is only going to perpetuate the notion that women within certain cultures are inherently powerless. I think it would be better to concentrate on why certain behaviours by men are tolerated in the name of cultural practices. Have gender issues been overlooked in the rush to accommodate cultural difference? Why aren't these hideous beliefs and practices being educated out of people? It isn't culturally insensitive to speak out against what is essentially domestic violence, it's common sense!