An Indian court has ruled that a wife watching pornography does not constitute grounds for divorce, affirming that women maintain their right to self-pleasure and do not forfeit their sexual autonomy after marriage.
Discussions surrounding female sexuality remain largely taboo in India, particularly for married women, who are often expected to prioritize their husbands and children over personal desires.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday by the Madras High Court in Tamil Nadu, came in response to a man’s appeal against a lower court’s refusal to grant him a divorce. He cited several allegations of cruelty by his wife, including what he described as her compulsive habit of masturbating while watching pornography.
Dismissing his appeal, the court stated that “self-pleasure is not forbidden fruit.” It further emphasized that if male masturbation is widely accepted, female masturbation should not be stigmatized.
The court also stressed that marriage does not strip a woman of her individuality, affirming that her identity as an individual and as a woman remains intact regardless of her marital status.
While acknowledging that pornography addiction is undesirable and morally questionable, the court ruled that it does not constitute a legal basis for divorce.
Divorce remains a sensitive issue in India, where societal and familial pressures often discourage couples from ending unhappy marriages. As a result, only about one in 100 marriages end in divorce. Additionally, India’s overburdened judicial system means that many divorce cases take years to reach a resolution.
(Source: AFP)
