There is, embedded in Muslim culture, especially in certain parts of Africa...but also in areas in Turkey and elsewhere, an attitude that women are to to be controlled and used and treated as the offender, not as the victim. They are also victims of genital mutilation and other abominations. Their participation in
Even though these practices are NOT condoned in the Koran, and even though 'many' Muslim scholars and activists have spoken out, the practices and abuses continue on a fairly regular basis. Female mutilation is practiced BY families, and stories like this of rape are seen, I'd imagine, less often than it actually happens.
"Honor" has caused family members to kill girls who have been 'defiled', no matter whose fault it was!

These things HAPPEN, and they happen far more commonly in certain Muslim cultural areas than elsewhere. *IF* the relevant scholars & clerics and leaders are doing little more than 'formally' objecting and writing articles, they are almost as guilty as those committing the offenses! I would guess that officials in the area where the offenses happen have a real concern for their own safety should they try to interfere in cultural practices of long standing. They will tell the world that 'it is getting better with time', but many of them simply say the equivilent of "tsk, tsk" and go 'on record' as not condoning abuse.

It is impossible to know, of course, how many similar events occur for each one that make international news, but two would be too many.

   There are 'reasons' for such murders and for the general control and abuse of women; reasons rooted in thousand of years of culture....but that does not make them GOOD reasons, and certainly not 'excuses.

Until we see serious attempts to condemn and STOP such things...BY major clerics & leaders throughout Muslim lands, these deaths and slightly less vicious 'punishements' will continue....and commenting on it by those who are horrified will continue.