Restitution Of Conjugal Rights In Australia

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This research paper discusses the discord between a statute law and a common law in Australia regarding restitution of conjugal rights and marital rape.
This discord has led to conflict within the society about the marital duties and conjugal rights which a legally married couple are bound to perform within the institution of marriage.

BASIS OF THE ARGUMENT

The common law referred to in this research paper is The Family Law Act 1975 and the statute law is Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935. Given below is the explanation of these laws in relevance to the arguments which are to be discussed in this paper.

The Family Law Act 1975

Section 8(2) of Family Law Act 1975 states-
“Proceedings for a decree of restitution of conjugal rights, …show more content…

On the other hand, Section 114(2) of the Family Law Act 1975 states-
“In exercising its powers under subsection (1), the court may make an order relieving a party to a marriage from any obligation to perform marital services or render conjugal rights.”

¬ It provides power to grant an injunction in the context of marriage. Section 114(2) gives the court power to grant a person relieve from performing conjugal rights and marital services which implies that there is an obligation on the parties to a marriage to render conjugal rights and perform marital services. Such obligations no longer exist in law and should not be considered to form a part of a marriage as a legal or social institution.

The former rule abolishes the legal action for restitution of conjugal rights whereas the latter implies a continuing obligation to perform marital duties and render conjugal …show more content…

The abovementioned acts form the basis of the argument which is to be discussed in this paper.

The paper will specifically deal with the conjugal rights of women in an institution of marriage and suppression of these rights over ages. The problem here came out following a few cases in Australia and other commonwealth nations which gave light to the issue regarding the existence of issues dealing with conjugal rights and marital rapes within an institution of marriage.

Conjugal rights can be defined as the rights, especially to sexual relations, regarded as exercisable in law by each partner in a marriage.

Although such conjugal rights exist for both partners to a marriage i.e. man and woman, the issue which will be discussed in this paper is regarding the conjugal rights of women, the reason of this being it is the gender which goes through societal pressures and has been oppressed for quite a long period of time.

The discussion will start following the decision laid down by the High Court of Australia in the case of R v L in the year 1991. This decision was later followed in another case PGA V. The

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