Multiple historical and social layers of interpretation of marital rape in England

This paper sets out to examine the way in which legal reasoning constructed marital rape and eventually officially recognized it after centuries of men’s ascendency over women. Understanding the multiple layers requires cultural and historical awareness of the traditional concept of “marriage” and the practice of religion as well as the very different conditions in which marital rape was envisaged. The main contention of this paper is to show that legal knowledge derives from a patriarchal tradition where the processing of marital abuse and rape hovered between cultural and subjective realities contrary to objective rationality.

Hmong women, marital factors and mental health status

• Summary: An online survey was completed by Hmong women in the United States ( n = 186). The survey was distributed via listserves and websites frequently used by Hmong women, and solicited information about marital factors, presence and intensity of depressive symptoms, and socio-demographic circumstances. • Findings: The findings of this article indicate a significant relationship between marital abuse and depression among women married as teenagers when compared to non-abused women who married in adulthood. Excessive worry and feeling like everything takes great effort were the two most frequently reported indicators of depression reported by Hmong women in this sample. Additional marital and socio-demographic factors are explored in their relationship with depressive presentation. • Applications: These findings suggest that mental health practitioners working with Hmong women may need to be particularly attuned to issues of marital stressors related to traditional marriage practices and cultural stressors.