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The bill to send most wives to jail

It’s not that I’m a cynic about human relationships or anything but:

Domestic abuse involving “emotional blackmail” – but no violence – could become a criminal offence carrying a heavy jail term under tough new measures published for the first time.

Campaigners are drawing up a draft Bill which proposes making it illegal to “make contact with a victim in an aggressive way” and for a partner to “intend to control or coerce” their spouse.

Anyone found guilty of the new offence would face up to 14 years’ imprisonment.

That control or coerce part looks a bit dodgy to me.

The Bill offers a wide definition of the kinds of behaviour that should be criminalised, including attempts to exert financial control over a spouse or partner.

That men earn more than women and that women decide upon the spending of 80% of disposable income are both facts. And there would seem to be more than a smidgeon of financial control being exerted there.

Critically, its definition of abuse includes “controlling or coercive behaviour” which would “encompass but is not limited to physical, financial, sexual, psychological or emotional abuse”.

“Controlling behaviour” would also lead to criminal charges, including when a partner makes another person “subordinate”, “exploits their resources” or “deprives them of the means needed for independence”.

And that’s similarly a stunningly wide description. It could apply, for example, to the withdrawal of nookie until he agrees to splash out for that new sofa. And as to depriving them of the means of independence. Does that mean that divorce settlements where the bloke ends up living in a bedsit will now lead to 14 years in pokey for the ex-wife?

Hell, the way this is being described that tsk! followed by a deep sigh and the relegation to the second bedroom for being a bit tipsy could be described as “emotional blackmail”.

I’m deeply unconvinced that this has been thought through. And sure, my examples are extreme. But I can’t see anything in this that suggest that such activities won’t be covered by it.

Hmm, I wonder whether threatening to report someone under this law for not offering the nookie in a controlling manner would be evidence of a crime being committed by not so offering or evidence of an intention to control or coerce and thus the threat of revelation being a crime?

13 thoughts on “The bill to send most wives to jail”

  1. Oh, it’s been thoroughly thought through. There’s nothing whimsical about Radical Feminist theory. Its purpose is entirely and deliberately the persecution of men via the legal system; none of the female behaviours that would logically be described by this legislation will be considered criminal; only males will suffer it.

    Like I said, very thoroughly thought through.

  2. The benefit of the rule of law is that we aren’t subject to arbitrary punishment by the state; the state must first prove that we have committed an offence.
    The solution, from the point of view of the political class and law enforcement, is to design the system in such a way as to ensure that pretty much everybody has broken the law in some way. Then anything other than submissive obedience to the state is your only way to avoid punishment.
    Not a new idea, but a highly effective one.

  3. You might be interested to know, the bloke behind the proposed legislation runs the Paladin anti-stalking ‘service’ & is funded by the lottery.

  4. “I’m deeply unconvinced this has been thought through”. I am deeply convinced it hasn’t been. Mush for brains.

  5. Alex

    “The solution, from the point of view of the political class and law enforcement, is to design the system in such a way as to ensure that pretty much everybody has broken the law in some way.”

    This is a hallmark of a totalitarian society. Everyone is guilty, it’s just a question as to it being enforced at the whim of the state.

  6. How do you define a pet exactly ? Many of us feed wild birds and sometimes mammals, then there’s garden ponds with Goldfish. Feeding birds in particular can be counter productive if strict hygiene isn’t maintained, will we have to have a licence for a seed feeder and be subject to regular inspections ?

  7. Will this law be equally applied in Leicester, Bradford, Luton, Leeds, London?
    As for the natives, expect marriage to become a thing of the past.
    Only a complete fool would sign on the dotted line after this.
    Echo’s of the Frankfurt school again?

  8. Pingback: That Was the Week That Was (#401) | The Honest Courtesan

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