The Madras High Court recently ruled that masturbation and pornography viewing by a spouse cannot be considered cruelty in marriage, protecting women's sexual autonomy and privacy rights. The court addressed a man's request for divorce due to his wife's frequent masturbation and pornography consumption, ruling that such actions, when private and not affecting marital duties, do not constitute cruelty.
Justices GR Swaminathan and R Poornima emphasized that viewing pornography privately is not illegal and cannot be grounds for divorce, provided it does not violate any laws or harm the marriage. They highlighted that spousal privacy is protected under the right to privacy, and infringing upon a woman's sexual autonomy would be a violation of her personal rights.
Furthermore, the court asserted that male masturbation is universally recognized, and thus female masturbation should not be stigmatized. The ruling clarified that self-gratification is not grounds for divorce, in contrast to extramarital sex, which could be considered a valid reason for divorce. The court's decision reinforced that private sexual activities like masturbation and pornography viewing are personal choices, and their existence within a marriage does not inherently harm or diminish the marital bond.
This judgment underscores the importance of respecting individual sexual autonomy, promoting a healthy understanding of privacy within marriage, and recognizing that personal sexual practices do not equate to cruelty or marital dysfunction unless they interfere with the marriage's core responsibilities.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)