The old adage that a beautiful women with a lovely smile, showing a bit of leg, cleavage and sex appeal could get away with the proverbial. It was deemed that truth need never be an issue for such an astonishing creature as this could never do such terrible crime.
Moreover facts played no part in such situations, for those presumed devious former male partners (reference husbands, de-factos, boyfriends) were as guilty as hell as the lovely little woman was obviously tricked every which way.
When serving as an industrial chaplain for 12 years in Sydney to 1992 it was my unfortunate lot to be invited into situations whereby family men lost their children, their home, their car, the boat and their own soul as the Courts "gave her the lot"!
It was a repeat story time and time again, and even the law of averages is such, that 100% of the cases would be one way is realistic or probable, but how wrong was I.
These were largely blue collar men working long hours, bringing in big money, mortgaged to the hilt to give the little woman 'everything' and then found themselves at the mercy of a clever lawyer who had coached the beautiful little lady and discovered for the first time in his life what a horrific bastard he truly was.
Beach plants start somewhere
US Experience
In the late eighties and early nineties it was my privilege to attend a number of conferences for Christian elite athletes and their wives in the United States. From 1982-2000 I founded the Sports and Leisure Ministry placing chaplains into Australian Professional Sports (In 2005 this ministry's name was changed to Sports Chaplaincy Australia).
These US conferences were designed to provide elite athletes in Christian marriages strength and fortitude as it was no easy thing when hubby was away for weeks at a time "on the circuit" (as it were) with all the temptations available for both partners – him on the road and her at home alone, often at work and lonely for intimate company.
It was revealed that within two years of retirement from professional sport and the huge money, 82% of professional athlete marriages were on the rocks. The "dolly bird" syndrome was well and truly alive with the men in their wife selection. Although US Law is very different in many ways to Australian Divorce Laws, many of these men got taken for a ride even though they proved faithful and the wife went astray.
What it illustrated was that much the same situation applied in western democracies across the board. Women advocacy organisations were loud and up front and personal into the camera of public opinion, and no politician wanted to be seen as promoting anything that might be akin as a 'woman basher'.
There are many puddles on the beach
Superannuation the first scissor cut
From what I have understood this whole scenario began to change when women took on careers and began accruing superannuation. This had two effects. The first was that the family had two incomes to consider and that both had superannuation. The second it gave many women a taste of money and wanted more and give rise to the possibility of a quick buck.
To the first, I'm aware now of numbers of situations and the media have revealed many others over the past twenty years where after a split the courts by law were required to consider the woman's superannuation. This changed everything.
In one situation he offered his ex a fair deal, but she wanted more, a lot more, but when it came to court she failed to disclose her superannuation. When that came to light, she ended up with considerably less than what he had offered in the first instant.
In another situation, a de-facto, an agreement was made on property and money through the courts. They both incomes. He was more judicious with money than she, and five years later sought to return to the court to get more. Too late.
New information
In my pastoral ministry experience of 37 years, it's the second issue that women working that has given a taste of money and has all the hallmarks of the root cause of this new statistical information being revealed as detailed in the News.com article above. Men often embellish (bull s....) and it's easy to spot and it's part of male to male normal conversation - but women can lie with a straight face and extremely difficult to detect.
I've learned now to only believe about 25% of that of what a beautiful woman says as according to evolutionary science, her inbuilt calculator determines value in everything – survival of the fittest. Personally, I prefer the Biblical model where sin abounds and we need a Saviour from this rottenness.
I've found that women have the same propensity as men to lie and cheat and so the courts are now facing a whole new world of women being charged where so called easy money is possible. Accordingly, the largest increases of women being charged were:
Possession and use of ecstasy, up 21.4 per cent a year; possession and use of other drugs, up 17.1 per cent; harassment, threatening behaviour and private nuisance, up 14 per cent; dealing and trafficking in amphetamines, up 13.4 per cent; and possession and use of amphetamines, up 10.6 per cent.
These are huge percentage increases and reveal where young beautiful women with a taste for easy money have been heading. James says that the "love of money" is the root of all evil. There is much to say about contentment, but who listens to the Scriptures?
Sand designs are many on the beach
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html