The Editor, Sir:
I have been following the issue of rape between husband and wife for a while now. I am totally against any form of rape between any of the sexes, for the idea of rape between man and woman is now outdated.
How does one prove or disprove rape within a marriage. Is there a witness present? It is a man's word against his wife. In the context of the Jamaican culture, where sex can be downright violent (leaving bruises, etc.) to the satisfaction of both husband and wife, what evidence do you use to find a husband guilty?
It would seem to me that it would be a matter of who the judge or jury believes. This means that a wife can, out of spite, drag her innocent husband to court, embarrass him and destroy his character, and on top of that, the court may find him guilty and send him to prison.
I believe that the idea of marriage in Jamaica is being denigrated so much that pretty soon it will be like the emerging trend in the United States. It will become something you try for a while and if it becomes too heavy you shrug it off and move on. A little bit better than a business deal.
I think we need to realise that there are limitations to what the law can accomplish. The law cannot improve the quality of marriages in Jamaica. It can, however, destroy the value of marriage as more men shun the concept and see it as a trap they may fall into instead of something that should be celebrated as an achievement.
I am, etc.,
IAN BOYD-BROWN
boyd@cwjamaica.com
Salem, Runaway Bay P.O.
St. Ann
Via Go-Jamaica
