Homosexuality: The Wolfenden Report

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Another report which shifted the climate for laws criminalizing homosexuality in the favour of decriminalizing homosexuality was the Wolfenden report. This report emerged after the trial of Lord Montague, Peter Wildeblood, and Michael Pitt-Rivers. According to Wildeblood, the social context of Britain before and during the trial was influenced by American hysteria around communist empathy. The result being, that the new Scotland yard commissioner John Nott-Bower, made it a top priority to arrest those who were known to be homosexual because of the close relation of the FBI and Scotland yard. Whereas, previously homosexuals were known to police but were not arrested unless they committed serious crimes (Wildeblood, 1955 p.46,). This trial became

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