The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) overturned a French court’s decision blaming a woman, Ms. H.W., for her divorce due to lack of sexual relations with her husband. The ECHR ruled this violated Ms. H.W.’s right to respect for private and family life, citing a lack of justification for such interference in her sexuality. This decision, celebrated by Ms. H.W. and women’s rights groups, is expected to significantly impact French law, preventing future similar rulings. While not altering the divorce itself, the ruling rejects the concept of a marital duty to engage in sexual relations.
Read More
The European Court of Human Rights overturned a French court’s decision granting a divorce based solely on a 69-year-old woman’s refusal to have sex with her husband. The ECHR ruled that this violated her right to respect for private and family life, finding the imposed marital obligation incompatible with sexual freedom and bodily autonomy. The woman, who had sought the divorce in 2012, argued that health issues and abuse led to the cessation of sexual relations. This ruling potentially marks a significant shift in French jurisprudence regarding fault-based divorces and women’s rights.
Read More
Marital rape is a term that should not even exist in our vocabulary today, yet here we are in India, where this heinous act is still not outlawed. The fact that the government argues that changing this would be ‘excessively harsh’ is not just disappointing but also downright disturbing. How can we, as a society, turn a blind eye to the suffering of countless women who are victimized within the confines of their own marriages?
It is appalling to think that in a country where arranged marriages are still prevalent, women may have no say in who they marry and are then subjected to sexual violence without any legal recourse.… Continue reading
It absolutely baffles me to think that there are still places in the world where marital rape is not considered a crime. The recent statement from the India government claiming that criminalizing marital rape is ‘excessively harsh’ is not only shocking but also deeply concerning. Marital rape is a violation of human rights, plain and simple. The fact that India, along with countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, still allows this heinous act to go unpunished is a stark reminder of the long road ahead for gender equality and women’s rights.
The very idea that criminalizing any form of rape could be considered excessive is absurd.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker