Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

(Dis)honour, Death and Duress in the Courtroom

  • Chapter
‘Honour’ Killing and Violence

  • 1176 Accesses

Abstract

Unlawful killing in claims of ‘honour’ makes the courtroom a centre for disputed contentions as to culture, race, religion and ethnicity. These contentions are incorporated into defences and pleas for mitigating sentence. Such defences and pleas are not restricted to stereotypical episodes catching media attention. Boundaries of exculpation or attempted exculpation are not limited to particular ethnicities, races, cultures or faiths. ‘Excusing’ or downgrading culpability through cultural, racial, religious or ethnic imperatives crosses national boundaries (Sev’er, 2001; UNCSW57, 2013). Similar to some communities calling murder ‘honour killing, cultural imperatives are advanced in rape trials to lessen culpability, justify sexual abuses or render sexually violent acts nugatory (UNCSW57, 2013; UNHR, 2012). Resort to these imperatives in unlawful killing and rape trials transcends status, caste and class. Women of ‘high’ status, caste and class are not exempt from being targets of violence, nor from race/ethnicity, religion or culture-based pretexts advanced to excuse perpetrators (Scutt, 1983, 1990a; UN Women, 2012).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Birks, P. and Chin, N.Y. (1995) ‘On the Nature of Undue Influence’ in J. Beatson and F. Friedman (eds) Good Faith and Fault in Contract Law (Oxford: Clarendon Press), 87–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T., Chen, J. and Stevens, M.R. (2011) The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary Report (Atlanta: NCIPC/CDCP) http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/nisvs_report2010-a.pdf (accessed 20 April 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Capper, D. (1998) ‘Undue Influence and Unconscionability: A Rationalisation’, Law Quarterly Review, 114, 479–499

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleaver, E. (1968) Soul on Ice (New York: Delta)

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Onofrio, E. (2005) ‘Child Brides, Ineqalitarianism, and the Fundamentalist Polygamous Family in the United States’, International Journal of Law Policy and Family, 19 (3) 373394, http://lawfam.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/3/373.abstract (accessed 9 April 2013)

  • Edwards, S. (1981) Female Sexuality and the Law (Oxford: Martin Robertson)

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, S. (1996) Sex and Gender in the Legal Process (London: Blackstone Press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Halliwell, M. (1997) Equity and Good Conscience in a Contemporary Context (London: Wildy & Sons)

    Google Scholar 

  • HO (2012) Forced Marriage — A Consultation: Summary of Responses (London: Home Office)

    Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, M. (2007) ‘Culturalising the Abject: Islam, Law and Moral Panic in the West’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 42(1) 9–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, H. (1993) Eve Was Framed — Women and British Justice (new ed) (London: Vintage) (originally published 1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • Law Society, Ireland (2001) Nullity of Marriage: The Case for Reform (Dublin: Ireland), http://www.lawsociety.ie/documents/committees/lawreform/nullity2.pdf (accessed 20 May 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, J. and Rogers, N. Crossing the Last Frontier: Problems Facing Aboriginal Women Victims of Rape in Central Australia, http://www.ilc.unsw.edu.au/sites/ilc.unsw.edu.au/files/mdocs/AIC_Pub_Lloyd.pdf (accessed 19 November 2012).

  • Lucashenko, M. (1996) ‘Violence Against Indigenous Women: Public and Private Dimensions’, Violence Against Women, 2(4) 378–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathur, S., Greene, M. and Malhotra, A. (2003) Too Young to Wed: The Lives, Rights and Health of Young Married Girls (Washington, DC: ICRW)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nour, N.M. (2006) ‘Health Consequences of Child Marriage in Africa’, Emerging Infectious Diseases, 12(11) 1644–1649

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Payne, S. (1991) ‘Aboriginal Women and the Law’, in P. Easteal and S. McKillop (eds), Women and the Law (Canberra: AIC), 65–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth, L. and Bladen, L. (2012) NSW Parliamentary Research Service (2012), Provocation and Self-Defence in Intimate Partner and Sexual Advance Homicides, NSW Parliamentary Research Service, Briefing Paper No. 5, (Sydney: NSW Parliament), http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications. nsf/0/F2BA1BFEED2D87EECA257A4800001BD7/$File/briefing%20paper.provocation%20and%20self-defence.pdf (accessed 19 November 2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (1997) ‘Cash or Kind: Economic Violence and Sexually Transmitted Debt’, in Se’ver, A., (ed.) Cross-Cultural Exploration of Wife Abuse: Problems and Prospects (Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press), 145–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (1983) Even in the Best of Homes — Violence in the Family (Ringwood: Penguin)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (1990a) Even in the Best of Homes — Violence in the Family (new ed.) (Carlton: McCulloch)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (2012a) ‘Fundamentalism versus Education — A World Wide Women’s Struggle’, OnLine Opinion, http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=14328 (accessed 9 April 2012)

  • Scutt, J.A. (2012b) ‘In the Face of Culture’, OnLine Opinion, http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=14060 (accessed 9 April 2013)

  • Scutt, J.A. (1990b) ‘Invisible Women? Aboriginal Women and the Law?’ Aboriginal Law Bulletin 2 (46), 79–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (1995) ‘Judicial Bias or Legal Bias? Battery, Women and the Law’ in Bessant, J., Cook, S. and Carrington, K. (eds) Cultures of Crime and Violence: The Australian Experience (Melbourne: LaTrobe Press), 130–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (1997) ‘Judicial Bias — Confronting Prejudice in the Courtroom’ in Bessant, J. and Cook, S. (eds) Women’s Encounters with Violence: Australian Experiences (Thousand Oaks: Sage)

    Google Scholar 

  • Scutt, J.A. (2001) ‘Restricted Vision — Women, Witches and Wickedness in the Courtroom’ Deakin Law Review 6, 40–65aev

    Google Scholar 

  • Sev’er, A. (2001) Culture of Honor, Culture of Change: A Feminist Analysis of Honor Killings in Rural Turkey (Toronto: Department of Sociology, University Toronto)

    Google Scholar 

  • Southwood, S. (2013), ‘Equality of the Law and the Sentencing of Aboriginal Offenders under the Sentencing Act (NT)’ (Law Council Australia: Canberra), http://www.lawcouncil.asn.au/fms/speeches/Rule%20of%20Law/Session%205%20Stephen%20Southwood.pdf (accessed 12 April 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • UNHR (2012) Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Its Causes and Consequences (New York: OHCHR), http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Women/SRWomen/Pages/SRWomenIndex.aspx (accessed 12 April 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • UNWomen (1996) Forced and Child Marriagehttp://www.endvawnow.org/en/articles/187-forced-and-child-marriage.html (accessed 10 April 2013)

  • UNWomen (2012) Handbook for National Action Plans on Violence Against Womenhttp://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/handbook-for-nap-on-vaw. pdf (accessed 10 April 2013)

  • UNWomen (2013) Violence Against Women (New York: UN Women), http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/ (accessed 10 April 2013)

    Google Scholar 

Cases citied

  • Amadio, Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v. [1983] HCA 14, [1983] 151 CLR 447 (12 May 1983)

    Google Scholar 

  • Blomley v. Ryan [1956] HCA 81, [1956] 99 CLR 362

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland v. Buckland [1967] 2 All ER 300

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper (falsely called Crane) v. Crane [1891] P. 369

    Google Scholar 

  • Dincer, R. v. [1983] VicRep 41, [1983] 1 VR 460 (30 August 1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • H., Regina v. (Sentencing of H), District Court of NSW Criminal Jurisdiction (Friday 23 August 2002) 01/11/08770

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirani & Hirani [1982] EWCA Civ. 1, [1982] 4 FLR (Eng.) 232 (Court of Appeal)

    Google Scholar 

  • Innes & Tranz [2007] FamCA 1649 (18 July 2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Iskandar, Andrew & Nita Iskandar (No. 4), R. v. [2012] NSWSC 149 (16 March 2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Iskandar, Hazairin, R. v. [2012] NSWSC 1324 (7 December 2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jangala, Toby, R. v. [1956] Northern Territory Supreme Court, No. 16 of 1956, unreported, http://www.law.uq.edu.au/documents/kriewaldt/judgements/Jangala.pdf, (accessed 10 November 2012.)

  • Kapor & Savita [2007] FamCA 1067 (29 August 2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreet&Sampir [2011]FamCA 22 (18January 2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwaku Mensah v. The King [1946] AC 83

    Google Scholar 

  • Mak, R. v., R. v MSK [2006] NSWCCA 381 (30 November 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mak,R. v., R. v. MSK; R. v. MMK [2005] NSWCCA 369 (4 November 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • MMK, R. v. [2005] NSWCCA 273 (4 August 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • MRK, R. v. [2005] NSWCCA 271 (4 August 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • Msk,Reginav.,Reginav.Mak,Reginav.Mmk [2006] NSWSC 237 (5 April 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Msk,Reginav.,Reginav.Mak,Reginav.Mrk,Reginav.Mmk [2004] NSWSC 319 (22 April 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • MSK and Mak, R. v. [2004] NSWCCA 308 (6 September 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Moffa v. R. [1977] HCA 14, [1977] 138 CLR 601 (4 March 1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • S, In the Marriage of [1980] 42 FLR 94

    Google Scholar 

  • Samardzic, Fast Fix Loans v. [2011] MSWCA 260 (2 September 2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Seabright, Scott (falsely called Seabright) v. [1886] 12 PD 21

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh v. Singh [1971] 2 All ER 828

    Google Scholar 

  • Skaf,Bilal; R. v. [2005] NSWCCA 297 (16 September 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skaf, Bilal; Regina v., Regina v. Mohammed Skaf [2004] NSWCCA 37 (6 May 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skaf, Bilal; Regina v., Regina v Mohammed Skaf [2006] NSWSC 394 (28 July 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skaf, Ghanem & Hajeid; Regina v. [2004] NSWCCA 74 (7 April 2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skaf, Mohammed; R. v. [2005] NSWCCA 298 (16 September 2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • Szechter v. Szechter [1971] P. 286

    Google Scholar 

  • Teves Iii, Felano Husband and: Alejandra Camomayor Wife, In the Marriage of: [1994] FamCA 57, [1995] FLC 92–578 (27 May 1994).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tirta v. Lim [2012] FamCA 63 (23 February 2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggan, R. v. (1992) WA Supreme Court, CCA, 24 January 1992, unreported

    Google Scholar 

Statutes

UN Conventions/Covenants

  • Article 16, UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

    Google Scholar 

  • Article 11(1), UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)

    Google Scholar 

  • Article 12(1), UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)

    Google Scholar 

  • Article 13(1), UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Jocelynne A. Scutt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Roehampton, UK

    Aisha K. Gill

  2. Australian National University, Australia

    Carolyn Strange

  3. University of Western Sydney, Australia

    Karl Roberts

Copyright information

© 2014 Jocelynne A. Scutt

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Scutt, J.A. (2014). (Dis)honour, Death and Duress in the Courtroom. In: Gill, A.K., Strange, C., Roberts, K. (eds) ‘Honour’ Killing and Violence. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137289568_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation