What makes you think that?

Let’s have a referendum on separation then. No to no-fault separation.

Most atheists are voting No, and most Muslim are voting Yes, so this negates your theory.

Believe me , the victim sometimes is. In any case, that is for the victim to decide. I am in favour of divorce, but only if consensual or if instigated by the victim. The abuser should not have the same rights as the abused, as proposed in this referendum.

Kenneth, divorce has other serious impiications, cohabitation is not one of them, FOr example the rights to inheritance, the rights to maintenance, the rights to custody, the rights to division of assets, the rights to the matrimonial home. The deserter may benefit from a divorce , and may therefore, besides deserting, also inflict divorce onto the innocent spouse, just out of spite. This happens over and over in Malta and will be much easier with divorce.

I am understanding Lino Cert less and less.

Let’s look at the reasons:

1. Religious. Sorry, don’t get it. getting a divorce is not a sin. Getting remarried or having an affair is a sin. Otherwise it is the same as a separation.

2. Health reasons. I would have thought remaining in an unhappy marriage would be the cause of ill-health not the reason to stay in a marriage. If on the other hand the healthy partner is not happy to stick around, guess what, they won’t! Besides do you want to live with a partner who begrudges your illness?

3. Social reasons. Well frankly social reasons be damned! In any case society soon gets used to the idea, just as it did to the idea of separation and having different partners.

4. Monetary reasons. There Cert may have a point. However in this case it may also be the ‘abuser’ who wants to have his (her) cake and eat it. The abuser may want the affairs on the side AND the beautiful home!

5. The integrity of the family unit. Integrity? What integrity? The law being put forward calls for four years of separation first. How is that integrity?

The No lobby is just a screen for the Catholic Church. Of course they wouldn’t propose anything which goes against the Church’s outdated teachings!

I mean, if in the UK someone says children suffer when their parents divorce, I quite agree. But to say the same thing in Malta is different. The children will already have gone through the trauma when the parents separated and if they divorce later on it wouldn’t make much difference to them.

If in doubt, ask the assistant commissioner on the IVA side.

[Lino Cert – You should not be separated against your will if you are the victim of violence or abuse].

In real life, victims of violence or abuse are forcibly separated by the police, even if the abused is too weak and helpless to seek help.

[Lino Cert – It should be up to you to decide whether you want to honour the contract or not. The abuser should be forced to forfeit his/her right to end the contract unilaterally].

So basically, what you are saying is that people should be forced to share beds if they are married. I can just imagine it – a police officer at the bedside, forcing the deserting spouse to get back in bed because the other wants to honour their marriage vows.

Get real, please.