An article examined the legislation adopted by Britain and France regarding forced marriage, and the politics concerning religious and cultural differences that had driven their approaches. It said that both countries needed to find a way to reconcile multiculturalism with human rights, by working with civil society and non-governmental organizations to uphold international law on human rights while embracing cultural and religious difference.
Source: Aisha Gill and Anicee Van Engeland, 'Criminalization or "multiculturalism without culture"? Comparing British and French approaches to tackling forced marriage', Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law, Volume 36 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Sep
The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 was given Royal assent. The Act provided for measures (mostly related to England and Wales) to tackle anti-social behaviour, forced marriage, dangerous dogs, and illegal firearms, as well as to make provisions regarding court and tribunal fees, and remove the defence of marital coercion.
Source: Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Home Office, TSO
Links: Act | Explanatory notes
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined how different marriage and cohabitation were for women's financial satisfaction and income sharing in Denmark, France, and Great Britain. A woman's financial satisfaction was lower in cohabitation than marriage, due perhaps to the lack of income pooling. But there was also substantial heterogeneity among married couples: the difference between marriage and cohabitation was better explained by the level of relationship investment in marriage in terms of its duration. In Denmark, where marriage and cohabitation were most equated by law, the relative difference between marriage and cohabitation for a woman's financial satisfaction was the greatest. No relative variation in results was observed between Great Britain and France.
Source: Nevena Kulic, 'The type and duration of family unions and income sharing: the implications for women's economic well-being', Journal of Socio-Economics, Volume 44
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb
A report (by an official advisory body) said that legislation should be enacted to introduce 'qualifying nuptial agreements' (commonly referred to as pre-nup, or post-nup, agreements) in England and Wales, but that such agreements should only be enforceable if certain protections were in place, such as each party having taken independent legal advice. The report included a draft Bill, the Nuptial Agreements Bill, which would introduce qualifying nuptial agreements.
Source: Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements, LC343, Law Commission
Date: 2014-Feb
An article examined the ways in which coupledom was promoted through contemporary family policy. The coalition government encouraged a particular type of intimate relationship, despite an increasing recognition of 'diverse' family forms – not compulsory heterosexuality, but compulsory coupledom.
Source: Eleanor Wilkinson, 'Learning to love again: "broken families", citizenship and the state promotion of coupledom', Geoforum, Volume 49
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Feb
The government began consultation on potential changes to civil partnership in England and Wales, following the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013. The consultation would close on 17 April 2014.
Source: Civil Partnership Review (England and Wales): A consultation, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2014-Jan