In early Roman society, a woman was deemed the property of her husband and was therefore subject to his control. According to early Roman law, a man could beat, divorce, or murder his wife for offenses she committed which damaged his honor or threatened his property rights. These were considered private matters and were not publicly scrutinized. (Violence Against Women 1994) The Catholic Church’s endorsement of “The Rules of Marriage” in the 15th Century encouraged the husband to serve as his wife’s judge. He was to beat her with a stick if she committed an offense. According to the “Rules” beating showed a concern for the wife’s soul. The common law in England gave a man the right to beat his wife in the interest of maintaining family discipline. The phrase “rule of thumb” referred to the English common law, which allowed a husband to beat his wife as long he used a stick no larger than his thumb. Women were not the only ones subject to abuse. In 18th Century France, if it became public that his wife had beaten her husband, he was forced to wear an outlandish costume and ride backward around the village on a donkey.
