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Marital Rape and the Marital Rapist: The 1976 South Australian Rape Law Reforms

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Abstract

This article charts a genealogy of marital rape law reform in South Australia in the 1970s, arguing that the new laws were based on constructing the marital rapist as a certain kind of man. South Australia is a significant case study, as it was one of the first Western jurisdictions to attempt to criminalise marital rape. Despite South Australia’s generally progressive politics, the legislation was highly contested, and resulted, in the end, only in a partial criminalization. To overcome the strident opposition to rape law reform, we show that supporters explicitly developed a discourse focusing on concepts of sexual normativity and deviance. The marital rapist, it was argued, had deviated from patriarchal standards of masculine decency: this, not the rape itself, was crucial to determining whether his conduct was unlawful.

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Notes

  1. Enacted through the Criminal Law Consolidation Act Amendment Act 1976 (SA), the Justices Act Amendment Act 1976 (SA) and the Evidence Act Amendment Act 1976 (SA).

  2. The question of whether ‘marital rape immunity’ actually formed part of the Australian common law has been problematised by the High Court decision in PGA v The Queen [2012] 245 CLR 355. For our purposes, it is sufficient to note that there is an overwhelming body of evidence to suggest that it was widely understood, by both the legal community and society more generally at the time of the reforms, that the common law functioned to provide men immunity from prosecution for rape in marriage.

  3. Steele, Ian. 1976. Wives Can Claim Rape Under Planned Law. Adelaide Advertiser, 6 August.

  4. Criminal Law Consolidation Act Amendment Act 1976 (SA) s 12.

  5. On the move towards intersectionality in feminist histories of sexual assault, see Walker (2013, 7–11) and Freedman (2013, 2).

  6. In Australia, see Mason (1995), McSherry (1998, 27–30), Henning and Bronnitt (1998), Featherstone (2017), Kaladelfos (2012), Backhouse (2000a, b, 2001), Mack (1998). On sexual ‘reputation’, see Bavin-Mizzi (1995a, b), Stevenson (2000).

  7. An important exception is Bourke (2008), though this work provides a broader overview rather than a close examination.

  8. This newspaper is not yet digitized for this timeframe, and microfilm research was utilised to uncover relevant articles and letters.

  9. See for example PGA v The Queen [2012] 245 CLR 355; R v McMinn [1982] VR 53.

  10. R v Brown [1975] 10 SASR 139, 141, 153; R v Wozniak & Pendry [1977] 16 SASR 67, 71; R v

    Sherrin (No 2) [1979] 21 SASR 250, 252.

  11. R v Clarence [1888] 22 QBD 23, 57.

  12. R v Clarence [1888] 22 QBD. 23, 64; R v Clarke [1949] 33 Cr App R 216, 217–218; R v R [1973] 3 All ER 663; R v Miller [1954] 2 Q.B. 282, 290.

  13. See especially The Queen v Jackson [1891] 1 QB 671 and the strong analysis on this point in Lesses (2014, 808–809). The principle had become firmly engrained by the mid-twentieth century: see especially R v Miller [1954] 2 Q.B. 282, 292.

  14. This inconsistency is thoroughly explored in the majority judgment of PGA v The Queen [2012] 245 CLR 355 at 375–382. See also the devastating critique of Brennan J in R v L [1991] 174 CLR 379, 396 and the New Jersey Supreme Court in State v Smith [1981] 426 A (2d) 38, 42.

  15. R v Clarence [1888] 22 QBD 23, 33–34 (per Wills J); Morris and Turner [1954, 258–259).

  16. In a very small number of countries, rape in marriage had previously been criminalized in the legislation, including the USSR, Czechoslovakia and Poland. Sweden also criminalized marital rape in 1965, but it remained as a lesser crime (Freeman 1981, 26–27).

  17. See also Anon. 1976. Increase of Rape Alarming—Judge. Adelaide Advertiser, May 9; Mackay, Ian. 1976. Legalities and Humanity Behind Report on Rape. Adelaide Advertiser, 17 June.

  18. See Anon. 1976. Women’s Groups ‘Surprise’ Judge’. Adelaide Advertiser, 2 June; Anon. 1976. Sex Law Reform. Adelaide Advertiser, 2 June. There was some biting feminist critique, but this was not widely reported; McMahon, Dawn. 1976. Plea for Protection of Wife’s Human Rights, Adelaide Advertiser, 5 June.

  19. Steele, Ian. 1976. Wives Can Claim Rape Under Planned Law. Adelaide Advertiser, 6 August.

  20. See for example; Anon. 1976. Think Again on Rape Law. Adelaide Advertiser, 7 August 1976; Anon. 1976. Rape by Husbands. Adelaide Advertiser, 9 August; St C, RR. 1976. Rape of Wives by their Husbands. Adelaide Advertiser, 29 August.

  21. Griffiths, V. 1976. Rape in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 30 September.

  22. Watson, Ed. 1976. Rape in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 27 September.

  23. Tanner, Kate. 1976. Love in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 14 September.

  24. Raduntz, H. 1976. Rape in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 24 August.

  25. Cockburn, Stewart. 1976. Difficulties of Dealing with Rape in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 23

    September.

  26. Raduntz, HT. Proving Rape. Adelaide Advertiser, 10 August. See also Anon. 1976. Liberals to Oppose Law Change. Adelaide Advertiser, 10 September; Roberts, Judith. 1976. Mitchell Report. Adelaide Advertiser, 17 August.

  27. St C, RR. 1976. Rape of Wives by their Husbands. Adelaide Advertiser, 29 August.

  28. Raduntz, HT. 1976. Rape in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 24 August.

  29. Supra n 25.

  30. On the complexities of protective intervention in the family, see the classic article by Francis Olsen (1985). For broader ideas on marriage and the public sphere see Pateman (1988).

  31. Anon. 1976. Violence in Marriage and the Law. Sydney Women’s Liberation Newsletter, November.-December, 5.

  32. St C, RR. 1976. Rape of Wives by their Husbands. Adelaide Advertiser, 29 August.

  33. On the extent to which rape laws have historically been shaped by these masculinist anxieties, see for example Backhouse (2001, 301–304) and Klein (2008, 985–990).

  34. See for example Howell-Price, Michelle, 1976. Concept of Rape Gets Blessings, Adelaide Advertiser, 11 August; Crosby, Heather. 1976. Wife’s Right to Protection of the Law, Adelaide Advertiser, 19 August; Yeatman, Betty. 1976. Rights of Wife in Rape within Marriage, Adelaide Advertiser, 28 September; Levy, Anne. 1976. Rights of Wife in Rape within Marriage, Adelaide Advertiser, 28 September; Tidswell Jillian and Corich Mary, 1976. Debate Challenge. Adelaide Advertiser, 25 August.

  35. See for example Michelle Howell-Price, “Concept of Rape Gets Blessings,” Adelaide Advertiser, 11 August 1976; Heather Crosby, “Wife’s Right to Protection of the Law,” Adelaide Advertiser, 19 August 1976; Betty Yeatman, “Rights of Wife in Rape within Marriage,” Adelaide Advertiser, 28 September 1976; Anne Levy, “Rights of Wife in Rape within Marriage,” Adelaide Advertiser, 28 September 1976; Jillian Tidswell and Mary Corich, “Debate Challenge,” Adelaide Advertiser, 25 August 1976; Peter Duncan, “Wife’s Right to Protection of the Law,” Adelaide Advertiser, 19 August 1976; Rosemary Burden, “Rape Law Objection,” Adelaide Advertiser, 4 October 1976; MA Oliver, “Rape in Marriage,” Adelaide Advertiser, 17 August 1976.

  36. See Scutt (1977, 288); Anon. 1980. Both Men and Women Should Enjoy the Full Protection of the Law’ Australian Women’s Weekly, 13 Augustt, 15; Sexual Offences Law Reform Action Group. 1978–1979. Annual Report. WEL Informed, December 1978-January 1979, 18–19.

  37. Howell-Price, Michele. 1976. Concept on rape gets blessings. Adelaide Advertiser, 11 August.

  38. Duncan, Peter. 1976. Wife’s Right to Protection of the Law. Adelaide Advertiser, 19 August.

  39. Cockburn, Stewart. 1976. Women Tell of Rape Within Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 25 September.

  40. South Australia, Parliamentary Debates, House of Assembly, 1976, 1821–1822, 1829, 1834.

  41. Supra n 40 1611–1613, 1836–1838.

  42. Supra n 40 at 1821–1822, 1829, 1834.

  43. Supra n 40 at 1841.

  44. Supra n 40 at 1829.

  45. Supra n 40 at 1836–1837, 1841–1842.

  46. See for example the extensive reporting of the graphic marital rape in DPP v Morgan [1976] AC 182 in Mitchell, Richard. 1975. Lords Support SA Ruling on Rape. Adelaide Advertiser, May 8; Mackay, Ian. 1976. Legalities and Humanity Behind Law of Rape. Adelaide Advertiser, 16 June. See also Cockburn, Stewart. 1976. Difficulties of Dealing with Rape in Marriage. Adelaide Advertiser, 23 September.

  47. Supra n 40 at 1821–1822.

  48. Supra n 40 at 1834.

  49. Supra n 40 at 1820–1825; 1827–1829.

  50. Supra n 40 at 1976, 1827–1829, 134–135.

  51. Supra n 40 at 1827–1829.

  52. Supra n 40 at 1819, 1821, 1829.

  53. South Australia, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Council, 1976, 2093.

  54. Supra n 53 at, 2097.

  55. Supra n 53 at 2097.

  56. Supra n 53 at 2092–2095.

  57. Supra n 53 at 2095.

  58. Supra n 53 at 2097.

  59. Supra n 53 at 2097.

  60. Supra n 53 at 2135–2136.

  61. See especially Supra n 53 at 2096–2098, 2102, 2143–2146.

  62. Supra n 53 at, 2090.

  63. See also the comments made at Supra n 53 at 2090, 2100, 2133.

  64. Supra n 53 at 2100, 2135–2137.

  65. Supra n 53 at, 2348–2352.

  66. Supra n 53 at, 2406–2411.

  67. Supra n 53 at, 2412.

  68. Supra n 53 at, 2534.

  69. Supra n 53 at 2534–2535.

  70. Supra n 53 at, 2534–2535.

  71. Criminal Law Consolidation Act Amendment Act 1976 (SA) s12.

  72. Supra n 71.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Australian Research Council, ARC DP 150101798, ‘Sexual Offences, Legal Responses and Public Perceptions: 1880s–1980s.

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  1. School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Lisa Featherstone

  2. Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle, NeW Space, Level 5, 409 Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW, 2300, Australia

    Alexander George Winn

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Correspondence to Lisa Featherstone.

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Featherstone, L., Winn, A.G. Marital Rape and the Marital Rapist: The 1976 South Australian Rape Law Reforms. Fem Leg Stud 27, 57–78 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-018-9382-3

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