Samuel Pepys Violence Against Women

Samuel Pepys’s diary contains numerous passages describing coercion, unwanted touching, threats, and physical violence toward women, including women in socially vulnerable position. Hitherto, because his diary recorded such incidents in a polyglot code, a somewhat benign attitude was generally regarded them as being peccadillos. The recent publication of 'The Confessions of Samuel Pepys' reveals a much darker narrative. Nevertheless, this should not be used as an excuse for complacency, the contemporary world is perhaps only marginally better than seventeenth century England, violence against women remains an everyday reality.