A 2007 study by Dr. Amin Muhammad and Dr. Sujay Patel of Memorial University, Canada, showed how Islamic honour killings have been brought to Canada. He wrote: "When people come and settle in Canada they can bring their traditions and forcefully follow them. In some cultures, people feel some boundaries are never to be crossed, and if someone would violate those practices or go against it, then murder is justified to them." He also noted that there are hundreds of cases annually in his native Pakistan. He added that "In different cultures, they can get away without being punished -- the courts actually sanction them under religious contexts"[36]
Honor killings appear to be rare in the United States, because only a few cases have made major headlines. On New Year's Day, 2008, Yaser Said was accused of killing his daughters Amina (18) and Sarah (17) after finding out they had boyfriends (named Eddie and Eric, respectively).[37] Said remains at large and has been featured on America's Most Wanted. In July 2008, John P. Avlon (of the New York Post) claimed that the death of 25-year-old Sandeela Kanwal (allegedly by Chaudhry Rashid) as an "American Honour Killing."[38] The Muzzammil Hassan case has been characterized by some as an honor killing.[39]
An article in the Spring 2009 edition of Middle East Quarterly[40] argues that the United States is far behind Europe in acknowledging that honor killings are a special form of domestic violence, requiring special training and special programs to protect the young women and girls most subject to it. The article suggests that the fear of being labeled "culturally insensitive" prevents US government officials and the media from both identifying and accurately reporting these incidents as "honor killings" when they occur. Failing to accurately describe the problem makes it more difficult to develop public policies to address it.
