CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale This study dwells on the rights of women who are victims of marital rape in the light of Mary Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the rights of women. Marriage is very essential. It is very important to be considered, not just to the Holy Catholic Church but also to the society. Marriage, based on the teaching of the Catholic Church, is composed of a man and a woman. After the rites of marriage, the man and woman are considered as husband and wife and it is accustomed to that they will be living together. Sex is a part of married life, in this way the wife can conceive a child and it is a blessing for a woman to conceive a child for this is the time that she is considered as a mother. At the same time, it is also an immeasurable gift for a husband to have a child in order for him to be considered as a father. Sex plays a very important role to a couple for this satisfies couples aim of becoming parents likewise satisfies couples pleasure of sexuality. There are many people dreaming of marriage. I am sure that what they are dreaming of is of course a happy marriage. It is sad to know that although they are dreaming of a happy marriage it is undeniable that there are marriages that are broken. Of course nobody is dreaming of a broken marriage, it is very shameful but it is the reality nowadays. Marriage is a commitment and as a commitment, the involved parties must

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understand each other, they must respect and love each other. But this is not the case of some couples. There are husbands who are forcing their wives to make sex with them which is no longer right. This is what we called marital rape. Marital rape, also known as spousal rape, is non-consensual sex in which the perpetrator is the victim's spouse.1Marital rape is a kind of rape in which the rapist in this case is the husband. It is a form of partner rape, of domestic violence, and of sexual abuse.2Althoughthey are married still the husband can commit this case if he is forcing his wife to make sex with him. It can be equally, if not more, emotionally and physically damaging than rape by a stranger.3Once widely condoned or ignored by law, spousal rape is now repudiated by international conventions and increasingly criminalized.4 Marital rape is an unexpected crime. Unexpected crime because who would think that a husband would rape his own wife. Yes, crime is committed by husbands who are forcing their wives to make sex with them. Marital rape is so destructive because it betrays the fundamental basis of the marital relationship, because it questions every understanding you have not only of your partner and the marriage, but of yourself.5 In marriage there must have the understanding from both sides. Understanding is the best way of preserving the relationship among couples. Marital rape is not just a simple crime
Marital Rape. Retrieved From Internet, 22 July 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marital_rape
2

Ibid. Ibid. Ibid.

Marital Rape. Retrieved From Internet, 18 July 2013,www.hiddenhurt.co.uk/maritalrape.html 2|Page

that can just be paid by being in prison or by asking for forgiveness. Marital rape is a very painful crime, not just because wives are forced and was raped, but mainly because the one who harassed them are their husbands whom they thought are the very first persons whom they can lean on. When it is the person you have entrusted your life to who rapes you, it isnt just physical or sexual assault, it is a betrayal of the very core of your marriage, of your person, of your trust.6 Women marry men for they are thinking that all men can be trusted. According to Mary Wollstonecraft, Thus Milton describes our first frail mother; though when he tells us that women are formed for softness and sweet attractive grace, I cannot comprehend his meaning, unless, in the true Mahometan strain, he meant to deprive us of souls, and insinuate that we were beings only designed by sweet attractive grace, and docile blind obedience, to gratify the senses of man when he can no longer soar on the wing of contemplation.7 Mary Wollstonecraft does not agree on that

statement of Milton above, for to her women must not obliged to follow what men dictate, even if they are married. Men have different views on women, there are men viewed women as their satisfaction on their sexual pleasure, the reason that they are forcing their wives to make sex with them even if their wives are refusing. Many people are laughing when they heard about this marital rape. They said that how come that it became a rape when they are married. People really get confused of this

Ibid.

Mary Wollstonecraft. Vindication of the rights of women: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects. (1792) 3|Page

kind of rape. Researchers estimate that between 10% and 14% of all married women experience rape in marriage.8 The table below summarizes some of the available data on the prevalence of sexual coercion by intimate partners.9

Percentage of adult women reporting sexual victimization by an intimate partner, selected population-based surveys 1989 2000 Percentage assaulted in the past Study Sample 12 months Year population size attempted or completed sex So Paulo national Canada[5][6] Chile[7] Finland[8] Japan Indonesia[9] Toronto Santiago national Yokohama 2000 941 1993 12300 1991 to 420 1992 1997 310 1997 to 7051 1998 2000 1287 9.1% 2.5% 1.3% 13.0% 5.9% 6.2% 22.0% 2.8% 5.6% Pernambuco 2000 1188 Percentage ever assaulted attempted or completed forced sex 10.1% 14.3% 8.0% 15.3% Percentage ever assaulted completed forced sex

Country

Brazil

1999 Central Java to 765 2000

Ibid.

Sexual Violence by Intimate Partners. Retrieved from Internet, 22 July 2013, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_violence_by_intimate_partners 4|Page

Mexico[10] Nicaragua[11][12] Peru

[13]

Durango Len Managua Lima Cusco national Ume national Bangkok

1996 384 15.0% 17.7% 7.1% 22.9% 1993 360 1997 378 2000 1086 2000 1534 1993 to 7079 1996 1991 251 1994 to 1500 1995 2000 1 051 2000 1027 17.1% 15.6%

42.0% 23.0% 21.7% 22.5% 46.7% 5.7% 7.5% 11.6% 29.9% 28.9% 51.9%

Guadalajara 1996 650

Puerto Rico Sweden[14]

Switzerland

Thailand

Nakhon Sawan

Turkey[15]

East and south-east 1998 599 Anatolia England, Scotland and Wales North London 1989 1007 1993 430 1995 to 8000 1996 6.0% 0.2% 27.0% 25.0% 23.0% 7.7%

14.2%

United Kingdom

[16][17]

United States[18]

national

West Bank and Gaza Palestinians 1995 2410 Strip[19] Zimbabwe[20] Midlands Province 1996 966

The researcher decided to study on this topic because of the so many incidents now on marital rape. This study would inform the women of the danger of the implications of marital rape.

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Statement of the Problem The researcher agrees that sex satisfies couples pleasure of sexuality only if there is the willingness of both sides. There are some husbands who are forcing their wives to make sex with them. This study is an attempt to present the concept of the rights of women who are victims of marital rape in the light of Mary Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the rights of women. In order for this attempt to be achieved, this study aims to answer the following questions: 1. What are the causes of committing marital rape? 2. What are the views of psychologists on marital rape? 3. What are the views of the Catholic Church on marital rape? 4. What is the view of Mary Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the rights of women on marital rape? 5. What are the immediate responses of the select married women in relation to Wollstonecrafts Vindication on marital rape?

Significance of the Study This present undertaking is a humble contribution of the researcher to all women who experienced and are experiencing of being forced by their husbands to make sex with them. Marital rape, as the topic points out, is studied decidedly by the researcher. The researcher is trying to study the rights of women who are experiencing marital rape through the help of Mary Wollstonecrafts concept of womens rights.

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The researcher is trying to inform the people that women have rights to fight against their husbands who are forcing them to make sex. The researcher is informing the society that women have rights of refusing and have rights of choosing not to do what their husbands want them to do. This study tries to shed light on the rights of women using the philosophy of Mary Wollstonecraft. Accordingly the researcher tries to focus on the very important points of the right of women who are victims of marital rape.

Scope and Limitations This study centers on the concept of Mary Wollstonecraft concerning the rights of women. Thus, it limits itself only to the right of women who are victims of marital rape. This study focuses on the idea of Mary Wollstonecrafts rights of women particularly on those women who are victims of marital rape. The exposition of the concept of rights of women of Mary Wollstonecraft is based on her book Vindication of the Rights of Women. The researcher also relies on the compilation, commentaries, journals and analyses of the works of Mary Wollstonecraft to have a clear understanding on her philosophy. This undertaking pays attention mainly on the concept of womens rights particularly to those women who are victims of marital rape based on the concept of Mary Wollstonecraft. The researcher limits itself only to the right of women who are victims of marital rape as discussed by the concept of Mary Wollstonecraft and to its importance not just to the society but more particularly to those women who are victims of marital rape.

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Theoretical Framework This research makes use of the philosophy of Mary Wollstonecraft as its springboard to realize its aim. In order for the reader to be guided accordingly, here is a diagram of the study: The rights of women who are victims of marital rape

Mary Wollstonecrafts Vindication of the rights of women

Researchers Theory

Supporting theories

An application of the concepts gathered for the women who are victims of the marital rape.

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Outcome/Conclusion

According to Mary Wollstonecraft, women have rights equal to men. For Wollstonecraft, women are not weak that they must always follow men. The researcher strongly believes that women have rights of refusing their husbands in making sex. Women are married to men but even if they are married to men still they have rights as human beings, Women are married to men but it does not mean that men can do whatever they want to do with their wives. According to a Lebanese poet, Kahlil Gibran, though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls10 According to R K Bergen (1999) marital rape can be defined as any unwanted intercourse or penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral) obtained by force, threat of force, or when the wife is unable to consent.11 According to a senior law lecturer from University of Botswana,even if a man is married to a woman, it does not mean that he has untrammelled sexual rights over her.12 It expresses the power and dominance of men and the subjugation of women in marital set-ups.13

10

Kahlil Gibran. Sapiential poetry from various cultures

11

Shah Ali Farhad. Time to Recognise Marital Rape as Rape. The Daily Star. 02 July 2013

Obonye Jonas. Letsholathebe vs. The State: towards the abolition of spousal exemption in Botswana? Retrieved from Internet, 21 July 2013, http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=1304&dir=2013/July/Tuesday9
13

12

Ibid.

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This study would end up of giving ideas to the readers that women have rights equal to men. That women are not that weak to always obey on their husbands at all times.

Definition of Terms The researcher decides to give definitions to some words that the researcher thinks necessary to be defined for a better understanding of this study. This would help the readers understand clearly the words/terms that are being used by the researcher in the study. These are some of the words:

Marital rape a kind of rape that is committed by a husband who is forcing his wife to make sex with him.

Marriage a relationship between married couple in which man and woman are formally united and they are recognized typically by the law and of the church.14

Couple man and woman who are living together

Sex a sexual activity; a sexual intercourse

Pleasure of sexuality a sexual satisfaction

14

Retrieved from the Internet, 23 July 2013, https://www.google.com.

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