The Husband's Adultery as a Form of Psychological Violence
As a reader of Baptist apologist Atty. Gerry Galacio's blog called Family Matters, I definitely want to think of how adultery laws can now define the husband's adultery as a form or act of psychological violence. The entire problem of the matter is that regardless how many women the husband has already slept with, he cannot be filed for adultery. However the law has fortunately provided the right of the wife to file her husband for adultery (even for just one incident) under the name of psychological violence. This can be defined as:
"Acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the victim such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse and marital infidelity. It includes causing or allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to which the victim belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children."
In truth, many adultery cases have already involved the man with his extramarital girlfriend (or third partner, the paramour) also with intimidation, public ridicule of the legal wife, repeated verbal abuse of the legal wife which accompanies the marital infidelity in the process. Most men think there is nothing wrong with it, it's just okay to have many partners when it is not. Seriously the Bible says, "Husbands love your wives." (Ephesians 5:25) Submission of the wife is important but it is also necessary for the husband to love the wife. Jesus loves His slaves no wonder His slaves are willing to forsake all for a Master like Him. God said it was one man to one woman, not one is to many. And to break one's marriage vows equals bearing false witness- lying! And seriously what is worse is that as a result of unbelief, they have their multiple adulterous affairs. It's not my word, it's the Bible.
Why should adultery be considered as psychological violence? I would like to state that adultery causes mental and emotional suffering to the spouse affected. Just think about how beautiful the serenades were as suitors. I have witnessed romantic dates at the restaurants, flashy proposals or even such beautiful wedding ceremonies. Then comes the husband, proposing the the wife and says, "I will love you forever." or "Forever and forever..." with all the beautiful words yet when the married life finally comes, love affairs plague the marriage like never before. The husband then finds one woman after the other to suit his wants, not his needs. His wife is his need, the mistresses are his wants. The wife expects the husband not to cheat on her as the recited on the pulpit or altar saying, "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." and it was never "...until divorce do us part" in that whole marriage vow. Is it any wonder why the wife went nuts when the affair happened? It's all thanks to a betrayal of trust. Seriously it's even worse that while the wife has her needs neglected, the mistress gets her wants met by the husband which again is another reason that it causes psychological violence on behalf of the wife whose needs are not met.