Money and Marriage: Sexually Transmitted Debt in England

In recent years of economic recession, the problems faced by spouses and partners (especially wives) who provide third party loan security (usually a second mortgage over the family home) for the business debts of their spouse or partner has emerged as an increasing evidence social and legal problem, especially in the United Kingdom, and also Australia (where the problem has become know as ‘sexually transmitted debt’). In this article, the central findings of the first major empirical study of ‘sexually transmitted debt’ are discussed, after first placing the problem in its legal and social context.