Mumbai, January 24:  A French woman has won an appeal in the European Court of Human Rights after being initially blamed for her divorce due to No sex with her husband. The court ruled in her favour, overturning the previous decision. In 2004, the woman ceased intimacy with her husband due to health issues and threats of violence.

According to a news report, The husband countered by accusing his wife, a French woman identified as H.W., of neglecting her 'marital duties' and making defamatory allegations against him. A French appellate court had decided that her refusal to engage in sexual relations violated marital obligations, granting her husband a divorce, which was considered unfavourable to her. France Riots: Grandmother of Teen Shot Dead by Police Officer in Paris Pleads With Rioters To Stop Violence.

After a decade-long legal battle, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) sided with a 69-year-old French woman, criticising the French court for violating her right to privacy and family life. The ruling has sparked a national debate on women's rights and marital consent.

All About the Case

The case centres around a 69-year-old French woman, H.W., who married in 1984 and experienced a deteriorating relationship, worsened by health issues and abuse. After stopping sexual relations with her husband in 2004 due to violence and health problems, H.W. filed for divorce in 2012, accusing him of neglecting family life and being abusive. Her husband countered, blaming her for the breakdown of the marriage. What Happens to Your Body If You Don't Have Sex for a Long Time? 5 Things You Had No Idea May Be Caused By Sexual Abstinence.

In 2019, a French appeals court sided with her husband, but H.W. challenged the decision in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The ECHR ruled that forcing sexual relations within marriage violated her right to privacy and dignity, emphasizing that consent must be considered in marital duties. This ruling has sparked debate over women's rights and marital consent.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2025 06:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).