Women's Agency as Reason for Life Threats Among the Pashtuns in Pakistan: Narratives of Women Fleeing Honor Killing and Masculine Domination

This article uses the narratives of survivors of honor killing to show that women's agency is the reason for life threats because it undermines masculine domination. The findings show that life threats are made against women engaging in behaviors not aligned to cultural norms as perceived by ma...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Khan, Saeeda (Author)
Contributors: Thambiah, Shanthi ; Khoo Ying Hooi
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: Violence against women
Year: 2023, Volume: 29, Issue: 3/4, Pages: 431-452
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Habitus
masculine domination
women’s agency
Pashtun
honor killing
Description
Summary:This article uses the narratives of survivors of honor killing to show that women's agency is the reason for life threats because it undermines masculine domination. The findings show that life threats are made against women engaging in behaviors not aligned to cultural norms as perceived by male members of their family, to escape shame and gossip, and it is a manifestation of men losing control over women. These survivors of honor-based violence have undermined masculine domination by acting in unanticipated ways and by fleeing to a shelter home in the face of overwhelming cultural sanctions and structural inequalities.
ISSN:1552-8448
DOI:10.1177/10778012221092468