Do You Think Infidelity Should Be Punished?

[Akibahara]

So I've been reading a ton of sad infidelity stories--the ones where the wife gets pregnant by cheating is the most saddening to me--or where the husband gets a random woman pregnant. I may not have experienced such tragedy, and a full heartfelt apology goes out to the victims. But, it's got me thinking...

Should infidelity be punished? Here's what I propose: I think so. I think punishment should be carried out by the cheated spouse on divorce papers if he or she decide to go through with it.

EDIT: Revised Version

1.) The victim of marital infidelity will always gets a strong say what happens to the children in custody cases. Or, at the very least, given more notice than the perpetrator. If the victim has a criminal history in regards to the marriage itself, however, that will be taken into account.

2.) The perpetrator of infidelity must pay higher child support costs in any cases; 50% of yearly income.

3.) If the infidelity resulted in pregnancy, the man who got the woman pregnant or woman who is pregnant must give up their child completely to the victim couple; child support for the victim until the child is 17 is 50%. If a divorce occurs, the divorced victim still gets 10% fee for 4-6 years until payment stops. It is paid monthly.

Thoughts?

 

[keith99]

Gandhi was right!

 

[KitKatMatt]

No, I don't think infidelity should be treated as a criminal act.

We don't need the government getting involved in relationship dynamics. We already have the mess of legal marriage in the first place.

 

[Desk trauma]

Thoughts?

Jail time, or any other punishment, for consensual sexual activity among adults is an absurd over step by the state.

Additional divorce proceeding are nasty enough without the introduction of possible criminal penalties into the mix.

 

[jacknife]

What two consenting adults choose to do is their business. What are going to do play sex police?

 

[Cute Tink]

The proper remedy for infidelity is divorce. Any punishment carried out by the government (i.e. criminal proceedings) is way over the top.

 

[Akibahara]

Meh, you guys are right. I made a "revised version" to accomodate modern times.

1.) The victim of marital infidelity will always get to decide what happens to the children in custody cases. Or, at the very least, given more notice than the perpetrator. If the victim has a criminal history in regards to the marriage itself, however, that will be taken into account.

2.) The perpetrator of infidelity must pay higher child support costs in any cases. 40-50% of yearly income.

3.) If the infidelity resulted in pregnancy, the man who got the woman pregnant or woman who is pregnant must give up their child completely to the victim couple; child support for the victim until the child is 17 is 50%. If a divorce occurs, the divorced victim still gets 10-20% fee for 17 years until payment stops. It is paid monthly.

 

[Armoured]

It's this absolutist nonsense that is fast alienating me from my conservative roots.

Every family is different, and every case of infidelity is different. For ever "gold digging playa" out there there's some emotionally neglected lonely person who lept at the chance for human contact.

It would be so nice if my erstwhile conservative colleagues could stop trying to legislate based on fiction tropes.

 

[Akibahara]

Every family is different, and every case of infidelity is different. For ever "gold digging playa" out there there's some emotionally neglected lonely person who lept at the chance for human contact.

If that's the case, divorce should be kept in the picture. If your husband/wife is neglecting you, without any hope of reconciliation, just get a divorce. It's alot less messier than getting one AFTER cheating.

 

[Blue Wren]

What two consenting adults choose to do is their business. What are going to do play sex police?

This

 

[jacknife]

It's not always so easy divorces are messy things.

 

[Akibahara]

It's not always so easy divorces are messy things.

It's 10x messier if infidelity is in the picture. It's seriously just easier to explain the situation, perhaps try counseling, but if that doesn't work... just divorce.

 

[Armoured]

It's 10x messier if infidelity is in the picture. It's seriously just easier to explain the situation, perhaps try counseling, but if that doesn't work... just divorce.

In a perfect world, maybe.

Is every situation that simple, though?

I'll admit to cheating way back on my then partner. We worked through it, and are now married. Happily.

Sure, it's the exception, rather than the rule, but where do such examples fit in your paradigm?

 

[Desk trauma]

Every penalty that you are calling for, other then jail time, can be handled with prenuptial agreements right now. If this matter is that important to you please hire a lawyer, have the papers drawn up and leave the rest of us along with the state out of the matter.

 

[Conscious Z]

Meh, you guys are right. I made a "revised version" to accomodate modern times.

1.) The victim of marital infidelity will always get to decide what happens to the children in custody cases. Or, at the very least, given more notice than the perpetrator. If the victim has a criminal history in regards to the marriage itself, however, that will be taken into account.

2.) The perpetrator of infidelity must pay higher child support costs in any cases. 40-50% of yearly income.

3.) If the infidelity resulted in pregnancy, the man who got the woman pregnant or woman who is pregnant must give up their child completely to the victim couple; child support for the victim until the child is 17 is 50%. If a divorce occurs, the divorced victim still gets 10-20% fee for 17 years until payment stops. It is paid monthly.

This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard. A woman must give up her baby because she was the mistress? 40-50% of annual income toward child support? This is ludicrous. Child support isn't and shouldn't be a fine. The state should not be involved in punishing people for deciding to sleep with another person.

 

[Armoured]

This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard. A woman must give up her baby because she was the mistress? 40-50% of annual income toward child support? This is ludicrous. Child support isn't and shouldn't be a fine. The state should not be involved in punishing people for deciding to sleep with another person.

Wonder if this guy advocates small government?

 

[Akibahara]

Sure, it's the exception, rather than the rule, but where do such examples fit in your paradigm?

Let's say, for example, a 34 year old married woman cheats on her husband and she's pregnant. Her husband discovers this, finds out the child isn't his, and decides to divorce his wife.

Based on these new rules I've created, the lawyers, with proof the child isn't genetically the husband's, will side with the cheated husband on what to do with the child... the mother and her lover must pay half of their yearly income toward the cheated husband the child IF he decides to keep the baby. If not, 10% of the income goes toward the husband nevertheless for moral costs and emotional damage done.

Is this what you're looking for?

 

[Conscious Z]

Let's say, for example, a 34 year old married woman cheats on her husband and she's pregnant. Her husband discovers this, finds out the child isn't his, and decides to divorce his wife.

Based on these new rules I've created, the lawyers, with proof the child isn't genetically the husband's, will side with the cheated husband on what to do with the child... the mother and her lover must pay half of their yearly income toward the cheated husband the child IF he decides to keep the baby. If not, 10% of the income goes toward the husband nevertheless for moral costs and emotional damage done.

Is this what you're looking for?

Why should he get to keep a baby that isn't his?

 

[Desk trauma]

I'm with Conscious Z, that's one of the worst ideas I have heard.

 

[Akibahara]

Every penalty that you are calling for, other then jail time, can be handled with prenuptial agreements right now. If this matter is that important to you please hire a lawyer, have the papers drawn up and leave the rest of us along with the state out of the matter.

Not my problem. I just sympathize for victims of infidelity.

This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard. A woman must give up her baby because she was the mistress? 40-50% of annual income toward child support? This is ludicrous. Child support isn't and shouldn't be a fine. The state should not be involved in punishing people for deciding to sleep with another person.

Current child support is approximately a third of yearly income... and he or she played the game of cheating on his/her spouse. They caused emotional damage toward the victim spouse. Such actions must be taken into account in divorce, as well as child custody.

Wonder if this guy advocates small government?

No, I don't. I'm a social conservative more than anything. I believe, to the best of our economic ability, we should provide social services to the poor and destiute whenever possible... but I believe a Christian-Judeo government like the United States, should implement more conservative values in the U.S.