Honour crimes, a European Problem
Should there be European legislation regagarding honour crimes? : based on a comparison of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and FranceHonour crimes, a European Problem
Should there be European legislation regagarding honour crimes? : based on a comparison of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and FranceSamenvatting
This dissertation was written in order to examine whether or not there should be European legislation regarding honour crimes. This question has been answered via a comparison of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and France.
Before it became possible to answer the main research question several aspects needed to be become clear first. For one it was important to know the background of honour crimes and honour-based violence, the statistics, the current legislation in regard to honour crimes and honour-based violence in the three sample countries and the associations that deal with honour crimes in the three sample countries. This information has been found via secondary and primary research and has been put in the Literature Review chapter and in the Results chapter.
After having done all the secondary research, it became clear that the three research countries and the European Union all have honour crimes on their radar, meaning that they all have associations that try to prevent and combat honour crimes and several legislations that criminalize aspects of honour crimes such as forced marriage, intimidation and harassment. There is no European Union law that explicitly condemns honour crimes, or honour-related violence. In May of 2011, the Council of Europe adopted the ‘’Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence’. This treaty, which also concerns men and children, obliges participants to criminalize honour crimes.
It became evident that there is a lack of data in the sample countries and then especially in France, since there is no data in that country. The three countries are in need of a better system to register the amount of honour crimes and honour-based violence cases.
The main goal of this dissertation is to investigate whether or not there should be European legislation. Due to the secondary and primary research, it became clear that European legislation would not be beneficial. This has several reasons. For one, the European Union already has a treaty that criminalizes honour crimes, and according to the experts this is enough. Murder, coercion and forced marriages (different aspects of honour-based violence) are also already criminalized. The experts do not believe more severe punishment is the solution to honour crimes and honour-based violence. Instead the solution lies in collecting data, punishing the collective, looking at the source of honour crimes and better cooperation between support agencies, schools, police and medical staff.
Organisatie | De Haagse Hogeschool |
Opleiding | MO Europese Studies / European Studies |
Afdeling | Faculteit Management & Organisatie |
Jaar | 2016 |
Type | Bachelor |
Taal | Engels |