Women in Divorce in Geneva and France
             There are two different points when looking at the subject of divorce in Geneva and France. The first point would be trying to establish a reason for divorce in Geneva and France. Secondly, looking at how women were treated when accused of being the guilty party when a case of divorce was brought forth in Geneva and France. This includes taking a look at the ramifications of a conviction of adultery in France and Geneva.
             In Geneva, divorce was legal, but very hard to come by. There were many different reasons for filing for divorce in Geneva. One of these reasons was blasphemy. Blasphemy was one of the reasons used by a man by the name of Pierre Ameaux. Ameaux was filing for divorce from a woman he had married three years earlier. In his case he stated that the woman he was married to held "an opinion that is against the Word of God, namely that she can associate with all men and that all are her husbands." Another reason for filing for divorce in Geneva was adultery. There were many interpretations of adultery in Geneva. Again we will take a look at Pierre Ameaux. In his second trial of trying to receive divorce from his wife, Ameaux accused his wife of adultery. Ameaux's wife was Benoite. She was questioned on three different accusations of adultery. One involved a man whom she had invited to dinner in the house she shared with Ameaux and to whom she was alleged to have offered her body following dinner. This shows adultery in the form of just offering with no physical action. Her second questioning involved a charge that she had slept with two men while in jail during the earlier investigation, one an employee of the jail, the other a fellow prisoner from the neighboring town of Sacconay. The third question the council asked her about was a statement that Benoite had made earlier that everyone should share everything. The council asked her about this...