ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book discusses the fact that infanticide was a common crime amongst female servants in the 17th century, was not due to defective personality traits or ‘madness’, nor was it due to an unusually high concentration of ‘bad’ women. It describes the differential and hierarchical nature of the relationship between husband and wife which legitimises a husband’s right to discipline an ‘uppity’ wife. The focus on a woman’s character and reputation becomes particularly noticeable in cases involving double trials which include a male and female defendant. The fact that virtually all baby-farmers were women reflected an androcentric culture which placed child-care responsibilities almost solely upon the female sex. The portrayal of women in double trials as ‘worse’ than their male co-defendant indicated yet another manifestation of judicial misogyny and ‘double standards’.
