The issue must be seen in the context of violence against women and the inequality found throughout society.

A group of Canadian imams is right to use a high-profile trial as a timely opportunity to condemn violence and abuse committed in the name of family honour.

While there is no honour in killing, honour-based violence does exist. It is a manifestation not of religion, but of culture, and is more prevalent in countries with patriarchal traditions where adultery is punishable by law such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Canada is not immune from such influences.

A BC judge has upheld Canada's ban on polygamy, calling it constitutional and infringing on religious freedom only a little.

VANCOUVER — The RCMP is preparing to head to Texas to look for more than two dozen brides from Bountiful, B.C., who were allegedly sent across the border as teens to marry older men, including a polygamous leader now facing a life sentence for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.

The Mounties launched a new criminal investigation into Bountiful earlier this year after a constitutional case examining Canada's anti-polygamy law heard allegations of cross-border marriages in the 1990s and early 2000s.

After more than two months of hearing evidence on polygamy, there’s no one in the Vancouver courtroom who disagrees that the practice can be harmful.

The most disturbing evidence the B.C. government presented is that as many as 31 under-aged girls — the youngest only 12 and 13 — were trafficked by their fathers and brothers between the fundamentalist Mormon communities in Bountiful, B.C. and the United States.

Polyamorists, civil libertarians, supporters of Holocaust deniers square off against B.C. teachers, a Catholic family coalition, REAL Women

By Daphne Bramham

Children play at polygamist community Bountiful. Several groups with intervener status in the hearing on the constitutionality of anti-polygamy laws are concerned about the rights of children.
Photograph by: Ian Smith, Vancouver Sun

It's a rare day when feminists, conservative Christians, anti-abortionists, Muslim women and child advocates join forces.

"Holiday brides" in India have been deserted by husbands from the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

By Soraya Roberts
November 23, 2009

Patriarchy and violence against women exist in all societies

Media are wrong to focus on 'honour killing' as reason for violence

DOLORES CHEW and FARHA NAJAH HUSSAIN, The Gazette

Tarek Fatah, National Post Published: Saturday, July 25, 2009