Article 99421 of alt.tasteless:
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From: ___@ix.netcom.com
Newsgroups: alt.tasteless
Subject: Domestic Relations Italia Style
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 10:32:45 GMT
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>From  The Pages of The Electronic Telegraph
www.telegraph.co.uk

Wife-beating is legal, Italian judges rule
By Bruce Johnston 


ITALIAN husbands may now legally beat their wives, providing they
don't do it too often. The country's Supreme Court has ruled that
isolated episodes of
domestic violence brought on by a Latin rush of male blood to the head
are not criminal, even if the wife has to go to hospital.

To avoid being classed as a crime, the assault must be shown to be an
isolated incident and not part of "systematic violent conduct". There
must also be no
grave intention to humiliate or abuse the victim".

In making the ruling judges quashed an eight-month sentence given to a
Sicilian bricklayer, Francesco Lombardo, 42, who in a fit of jealous
rage hit his wife
Anna, 39, leaving her with a cut and bruised face. The court had heard
that before pummelling her in front of their four children, Mr
Lombardo complained
that she had been going out too much and was fuelling gossip.

Although the ruling provoked howls of protest in Italy, Mrs Lombardo
welcomed it. "I'm happy at the decision. It was only a fight," she
said. "Like all
Sicilians, my husband is a jealous man. Even if he behaved badly, I
love him."