Adultery Law

Derek Jackson · Dec 15, 2004

The European Union seems to have made it clear that a law making adultery a criminal offence would prevent Turkey being a candidate for membership.

Would a similar law prevent a state joining the United States? I do not suppose that there is such a law in Porto Rico (sorry for the spelling) and I know that they actually rejected statehood but would they, or another Carriben island be rejected on such grounds.

I suspect some existing states may have such laws. What would be the consequences of a serious attempt to enforce such a law?

MerryPrankster · Dec 15, 2004

Most "adultery" laws in the US are leftovers from a time where pretty much all states had them (and, owing to the federal system, could have pretty much any laws they wanted provided the "republican form of government" was maintained).

If Puerto Rico has such laws and applies for statehood, I doubt they'd matter, considering how they're not really enforced.

Now, if people actually tried to enforce these laws, it'd be mess. For starters, a lot of the people in charge of actually enforcing the laws would go down (Mike Bowers, from a few years back, being an example).

Ironically, the EU thinks that the Turkish adultery law would be used to abuse women (just as its lax laws about "provocation" have led to "honor killings"). However, according to both John and traveler-author Robert D. Kaplan, these laws are mostly supported by women who are unhappy about their husbands visiting Russian prostitutes (the "Natashas").

LordKalvan · Dec 15, 2004

Matt Quinn said:
Ironically, the EU thinks that the Turkish adultery law would be used to abuse women (just as its lax laws about "provocation" have led to "honor killings"). However, according to both John and traveler-author Robert D. Kaplan, these laws are mostly supported by women who are unhappy about their husbands visiting Russian prostitutes (the "Natashas").

Unfortunately, I've never heard about a man condemned in Turkey on the basis of "adultery laws".
Don't you think that EU would not have raised the point if these laws were actually supporting women?

BTD · Dec 15, 2004

LordKalvan said:
Unfortunately, I've never heard about a man condemned in Turkey on the basis of "adultery laws".
Don't you think that EU would not have raised the point if these laws were actually supporting women?

Actually adultery laws having nothing to do with men or women, but are matters of religion weasling its way into the legal code. As for adultery laws in the states, any time a person is convicted on them, the law is almost enevitbly ruled unconstitutional and thrown out. (assuming you have a lawyer worth a damn). Not to mention the civil penalties are far worse than the criminal penalties. As my brother learned it is never wise to cheat on your lawyer wife, if the divorce was painful for him the breach of contract lawsuit was excrutiating.

Ace Venom · Dec 15, 2004

Lots of US laws would prevent it from joining the EU, but I don't think the US would ever want to join it. However, if we can get a similar union in North America with laxer internal policy requirements...

JoanneMerriam · Dec 15, 2004

BTD said:
Actually adultery laws having nothing to do with men or women, but are matters of religion weasling its way into the legal code.

Yeah... in the US. In Turkey though a woman may be killed for adultery by her relatives and they will never be charged with anything. Afaik, the proposed adultery law there didn't pass, so that's a good thing. It's getting better.

JoanneMerriam · Dec 15, 2004

Ace Venom said:
However, if we can get a similar union in North America with laxer internal policy requirements...

NAFTA .......

LordKalvan · Dec 15, 2004

JoanneMerriam said:
Yeah... in the US. In Turkey though a woman may be killed for adultery by her relatives and they will never be charged with anything. Afaik, the proposed adultery law there didn't pass, so that's a good thing. It's getting better.

It's getting (a little) better in the cities, even if the provocation laws still very often ensure that a man can go almost scot free if he kills/maims a wife who has "given him provocation".
The adultery law (i.e., the state taking a punitive interest in the matter are truly a relic of a darker past, and luckily it was not approved.
The civil procedure for "breach of contract" is much more effective, and (in USA and Western Europe at least) works reasonably well (it might be argued that law process is at times biased in favor of women).