IT’S hard to understand why the issue of marital or spousal rape is still a subject of discussion in this country.
There’s so much else wrong that needs to be put right in our society you would have thought in this day and age we would have resolved this issue years ago.
For a partner to force themselves on their spouse against their will is rape, nothing else and we applaud Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis for stating his very clear view that he agrees with this and that spousal rape should be treated as a crime.
“Marital rape is wrong,” Mr Davis said in a tweet.
“We remain one of the few countries where that is not recognised in the law. An effort to change the law should be part of a larger national conversation and consensus. I very much support having that national conversation.”
How hard is it to accept that all non-consensual sex is rape? If a woman – or indeed a man – says ‘no’ that should be the end of the discussion.
As Mr Davis pointed out most countries have laws making spousal rape illegal yet for some reason we find it impossible to take that step.
Our neighbours to the north put this into law years ago with all 50 states in the US having ruled marital rape is illegal. Are those millions of God-fearing Americans – many of whom share the same churches as we do – all wrong?
And, of course, it is the churches and their teachings many people point to when they defend the “right” of one partner to force themselves on another.
Sex within a marriage should be an act of love, not an act of violence and intimidation.
When you read your Bible the message we’re given is quite clear: “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Colossians 3:19).
Where does forcing your partner to submit to sex fit in with this instruction not to be harsh?
Of course, it doesn’t.
But the people who persist in defending the “right” of forcing yourself on a partner don’t want to hear that. When you hear them saying this ask yourself why?
Who in this modern, supposedly civilised world could even contemplate defending such intimate violation? Think what it is actually saying about them?
Sadly things are very likely not to change any time soon.
To do so we would need proper sex education in our schools explaining clearly to our young people – who engage in sex much earlier than previous generations – exactly how they should behave in a relationship.
In many homes the parenting structure has broken down and we suspect things like this issue are not even discussed. Somehow that needs to change.
Unfortunately Mr Davis –- despite making his position clear – says his administration has too much on its agenda to act now.
He’d rather have a national debate about the issue – what’s called kicking the ball into the long grass and hoping it stays hidden there for a while.
This shouldn’t happen. Mr Davis and his ministers should make time, force through a resolution on a matter which is a stain on our reputation in the international arena.
Comments
carltonr61 2 years, 5 months ago
Men would welcome polygamy and legal prostitution as a tradeoff. The USA also allows sex designations choice for children. Sex designation away from born male God made to choice. All must be argued together as what ever the USA does we follow. Not to mention trans female to male Catholic Priests.we do have a shortage. Marriage vows mist go civil and get rid of 'you are one'. You cannot rape yourself.
carltonr61 2 years, 5 months ago
They can put a self preservation clause in it that excuses current marriage unions also.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 5 months ago
What is worse in 242? Spousal "rape" or infidelity? Most of our leaders are so hypocritical as they know full well that they are living double standards as married men. While there may be occasions where a husband and wife may disagree on intimacy, adultery is rife in our society. That should be a far greater talking point by politicians and the Church.
carltonr61 2 years, 5 months ago
Married women are spared the sin of hormonal changes that render them menopausal with most not being aware of total non participation in marriage as they near 50. Married men are left shattered by wives crazed behavior many suffering heart attacks due to loneliness and open hostility. As men are jailed for too healthy a hormone women should be jailed for lack of it. Some men suffer up to six months on the side of physically sound wives without intimacy then what. Who should be jailed? I guess the answer would be to give men estrogen pills. Women are never wrong.
birdiestrachan 2 years, 5 months ago
When a marriage reaches the offence of marital rape. it is time for both to go their separate ways. The marriage is over.
Churches and the Government may assist such persons who find themselves in these situations.
These cases may also be difficult to prove especially if they both live in the same house.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 5 months ago
Agree to a point. Communication in marriage is the number one issue here.
How could the marriage partners get to the point where "rape" occurs, if the partners are not effectively communicating???
And even if "rape" is occurring, why is the victim not crying out??? Any feedback????
C2B 2 years, 5 months ago
I suspect that rape may be seen as a precursor to other domestic abuse. It's called fear.
carltonr61 2 years, 5 months ago
I am aware of husbands nudging their wives in a gentle way well short of violence. Just what is classified as rape? No Not tonight. I don't know where the boundaries cross. No is no. Then women complain that you don't love them. Should women offer sex in marriage. 95% don't.
BONEFISH 2 years, 5 months ago
The Bahamas is by in large, a hypocritical self-righteous country. Especially on the urbanized island of New Providence. Sensible, progressive ideas take years to be put in place or developed in this country. Case in point ,the laws dealing with the claims of children to their father's estate. The Bahamas was the last country in the english speaking caribbean to pass that law. The situation with marital or spousal rape is the same.
GodSpeed 2 years, 5 months ago
The solution for marital rape is divorce can't have "marital" rape once you're divorced right? Otherwise it's all he said, she said and no I don't just "believe women".
sheeprunner12 2 years, 5 months ago
If every couple got divorced for "rape" and infidelity, there won't be any 242 marriages at all ..... Only a few ppl getting married anyway. They prefer shacking up or sharing other ppl man or woman. Sad situations
GodSpeed 2 years, 5 months ago
what a mess
Dawes 2 years, 5 months ago
Wonder if the church realizes that it is for reasons such as this (and some others) that the next generation have no inkling to go to church. Maybe once their numbers dwindle even more we can truly have a separation of church and state.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 5 months ago
The Bahamian Church is in trouble because the congregation can't trust/respect their leaders in the same way that the citizens can't do the same for the politicians. Both Church & State are not respected by the people.
FrustratedBusinessman 2 years, 5 months ago
Yes, because the ELCA and Episcopalians have attracted millions of new converts after shedding any hint of Christian teaching.
You can look at hard statistics and see that abandoning Christian doctrine fails to attract younger people to services, quite the opposite has been observed actually. Using Catholicism as a primary example, the Novus Ordo rite is dying off with the boomers while traditional societies like the SSPX or FSSP continue to attract younger, large families. Traditionalist priests will outnumber those ordained in the Novus Ordo rite in France in coming decades.
Demographics are destiny, and "progressive Christianity" is on it's way out.
C2B 2 years, 5 months ago
If you are able to be aroused while you force yourself on a woman, then you are a sexual deviant and a danger to society. Why this person married such a cave man is another issue, but alas, the gene pool is pretty shallow in The Bahamas. I say stay single women. You do all the work in The Bahamas already, and care for the kids almost without assistance from the men.
carltonr61 2 years, 5 months ago
What about cave woman taking it from husband in the middle of the night.
FrustratedBusinessman 2 years, 5 months ago
Bahamians are such an easily fooled bunch. Show me where there is some exception for rape in the Sexual Offences Act if the victim and perpetrator are married? I am waiting.
Why does there need to be a separate offence for something that is already covered under the existing legal code? Instead, midwit atheists like the ones above just use this as a crutch to bash Christianity in any way that they can.
Bahamians deserve the shitty politicians that they get because they will believe any old foolishness that comes out of their mouths.
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