Laws That Put A Mother’s Privacy At Risk
Motherhood implies a series of legal regulations that, on occasions, violate the privacy of women. Having a child is legally related to the rest of the society in which we operate. Although we particularly focus on parenting and the extraordinary moments we spend with our little ones, some steps are bitter.
Inevitably two people have to intervene in the conception of a child. And for this very fact, sometimes, the man’s right to know his paternity conflicts with the woman’s reluctance to share information about her private life.
As we know, every woman has the right to protect her privacy; But, in some cases, the laws dictate something different. For example, some particular cases force the identity of the baby’s father to be revealed. This, although legal in some situations, violates the right of women to preserve their privacy.
We cannot or always want to talk openly about our relationships, how and with whom we eventually become engaged. However, sometimes we are legally required to submit our baby to paternity tests. Some laws impose it as a measure of protection of the infant in case of doubts.
In Germany, for example, it is also intended to protect a man from not paying support to a child of whom he is not sure he is the father. This measure even implies a possible reimbursement of the money contributed, if it were to be discovered by legal means that the child is not his.
Are laws that put a woman’s privacy at risk fair?
They say that the right thing is not always the right thing, in this case it is possible that more than one party is right. Ignorance of the true paternity of a child can have different consequences. There is a risk that at some point it will be necessary to do a medical procedure that requires the same genetic identity.
Similarly, it is possible that in adulthood, two siblings may know each other and not know that they are. However, the main drawback is that the child does not know his real father and he cannot take care of him.
In some societies, a woman’s intimacy is practically non-existent. Most women are treated like objects and their laws can be extreme. However, even with the most severe limitations, many women have become pregnant by someone they do not want to talk about.
In this regard, a German law considers that there should be no financial relationship on the part of a man with a child who is not his son. In such a case, this man has the right to request a paternity test to establish the veracity of the fact. If negative, this man could claim the support provided, but he must claim it from the real father.
So the mother is forced to reveal the identity of the father and, if that were the case, also of that man who could be a suspect. However, in Spain for example, a mother is not obliged to say who the father of her child is. Only if a DNA test is required through the courts can it be known if there is no genetic link with the alleged parent.
The problem is not the paternity test
In recent times, paternity tests have increased, as they are becoming easier to perform. They can be taken during pregnancy, but after the baby is born, they are not common after 12 months. They are generally made because of the parent’s doubt; however, sometimes it is the mother who needs to prove parentage.
However, what all women should be concerned with is the idea of having to say who the true parent is. We are concerned that the truth could have serious consequences for the baby or the mother. However, the most worrying thing is that our privacy is violated by legal action.
Therefore, it is not so serious that paternity tests exist, are done and legally required. Knowing that the result of said test could be a demonstration of infidelity. What we do consider truly committed is having to talk about our private life.
Cover image courtesy of a-fotografy.co.uk
