In July and August 2015, a dating service for married people was hacked, and information
about its users was made public.
As a result, several lawsuits have been filed against the website itself.
But what about those who’ve been exposed as adulterers?
Where is adultery illegal, and what are the punishments?
Well adultery is defined as sexual relations between a married person and anyone except
their spouse.
Historically, it has carried harsh punishments, primarily directed at women.
While cheating wives could be killed for the act, men would often be given much more lenient
punishments, if at all.
Today, in predominantly Muslim countries, male-dominated societies still have severe
punishments for adultery ranging from fines to imprisonment, flogging or the death penalty.
In 2008, a human rights group reported that a young woman in Somalia was stoned to death
for adultery, even though she claimed she’d been raped.
In Syria, husbands who “honor kill” their cheating wives are treated more sympathetically
than other murderers.
Prison sentences are often no longer than 7 years.
Women in these regions can be charged despite limited evidence, or refused a trial at all
and subjected to violent vigilante justice.
On the other hand, in much of the developed world, adultery is very rarely prosecuted.
The only situation where adultery would make a legal difference is in the event of a divorce.
Chile, for instance, doesn’t consider adultery a crime.
But, it IS considered an infraction against the “duty of faithfulness”, and the spouse
may be entitled to more money in a divorce.
In fact, a Pew poll revealed that in countries like France and Germany, citizens are some
of the most accepting of extramarital affairs.
But attitudes in the US towards adultery have been mixed.
20 states still have anti-adultery laws on the books.
Punishments can range from minor fines in Maryland, to years in prison in Michigan.
Military personnel can also face dishonorable discharge for committing adultery.
For civilians, prosecution for adultery is extremely rare.
The last publicized case was in the early ‘90s.
For the most part, adultery laws are left on the books because communities see them
as enforcements to society’s moral standards.
Major decisions from the US Supreme Court in 2003 and 2015 have severely restricted
the government’s ability to prosecute adults for their sexual and marital preferences.
Worldwide, although adultery is much less often prosecuted, it is still a difficult
issue to legislate based on cultural, religious, and personal biases.
Luckily, the severe punishments against women have been lessening in recent years, and in
many countries eliminated altogether.
Some states in the US still have crazy sex laws on the books.
What are they?
Watch this video to find out.
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