Husband's explicit wife-swapping messages lead wife to sue for divorce

A Taiwanese woman was devastated to find explicit messages on her husband's tablet detailing his participation in "wife-swapping" activities. The couple, married since 2010 and with children, had been living long-distance since 2021 when the wife moved to New Zealand with their daughter.

During a routine use of the tablet in July 2022, the wife discovered her husband's Facebook messages. In the conversations, he explicitly stated he had engaged in wife-swapping twice with a "girlfriend" and was actively seeking a "third time." The wife, shocked and angered by this revelation, filed a lawsuit against her husband, accusing him of severe marital misconduct and seeking damages.

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Even with marital issues, a spouse's rights cannot be violated during the subsistence of the marriage.

In court, the husband claimed their relationship had long since faded and that his wife had verbally abused him. He pointed to their divorce mediation, where he agreed to cover all post-marital mortgage payments and provide substantial child support. He also mentioned his mother had lent his wife NT$4 million to settle debts, arguing he had fulfilled his responsibilities and should not have to pay further damages.

However, the judge ruled that regardless of marital discord, a spouse's rights within the marriage are legally protected. The court found the husband's admission of two wife-swapping incidents to be true and a significant violation of his wife's marital rights. Considering the couple's financial status, social standing, and the wife's emotional distress, the court ordered the husband to pay NT$250,000 in damages. The ruling is subject to appeal.

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I am no longer afraid of dying.