What is the price of adultery? Well, what about making the third party who wrecks the marriage pay as well as the adulterous partner? If the other person is made to pay hard cash for the consequences of his/her action in court, this would be poetic justice in play. fond2.jpgAfter all, it takes two to tango and the adulterous parties must face the music for their sexual pleasure. This might deter future adulterers as money is a hard-earned commodity and will cool any short-lived passion. Again, perhaps it might not. Come to think of it, soured marriage partners might also frame their other half to get alimony and compensation to boot.

A woman in Asia recently sued her husband for divorce and sought damages from the other woman for causing the break-down of her marriage. She was awarded RM10,000 by the Appeals Court, payable by the lover. The money may come in useful in future but more importantly it was legal and societal acknowledgement of the hurt and suffering the other woman had caused the wife. The adulterous husband was a dentist and his lover was a member of staff in his clinic. By hauling the adulterous husband and his lover to court, the wife can get her revenge by subjecting both to public shame and condemnation.

But in all fairness, adultery sometimes has more complicated underlying issues than just physical lust, hot passion, and sexual intercourse. Thus, the wronged partner may not always be in the right. Yet, it is cheering news to marriages everywhere for the marriage institution has been in trouble for ages.