The spectacle of the feminine Other: Reading migrant women's autobiographies about honour-based violence

Autobiographies of migrant women about their experiences with honour-based violence (HBV) reach many
readers and are used in policy debates on women's emancipation and immigrant integration. Migrant women's
central position in this nationalistic debate stigmatises them as passive victims, their husbands as violent and
their culture as oppressive. We read 16 autobiographies by female authors to analyse how the spectacle of the
other is represented in their stories. Despite their victimisation, most authors present themselves as strong
women. Nevertheless, the image of an exceptional woman who breaks off all contact with her family, still
stigmatises migrant communities as oppressive. We found a few stories of women who describe their ongoing
struggle to make their own life choices within their communities. These stories deserve more attention because
they may be useful for addressing honour conflicts. To end HBV, we need to move beyond spectacle and consider
how we can learn from these women.