Have you ever wondered why more couples are opting for divorce as the pandemic continues on?
From our experience, there are multiple, complex reasons why the pandemic has caused an increase in divorces and separations.
Read on to see our outline on roughly how many divorces there have been during COVID-19 and the reasoning behind them.
How Many Divorces During COVID-19?
According to Statista, in 2021, there were about 2.74 million people who had obtained a legal divorce and not remarried in Canada.
This figure had increased by approximately 300,000 people since 2020.
Divorce rates have been steadily increasing since 2000, but it had reached a peak in 2021.
No More Work-Life Balance
Once working from home became commonplace, couples were forced to spend more time with each other, increasing the likelihood of marital conflict.
For some people, dedicating themselves entirely to their career may seem like the right thing to do, but others close to them may see it as a problem.
Because workaholic spouses often sacrifice their personal life to get ahead at work, it’s usually at the expense of their partner and family’s health.
Having no work-life balance could potentially bring about angry outbursts over minor incidences for a multitude of reason and these outbursts take a toll on a marriage and a family.
Job Loss
Pandemic-related job losses and layoffs also caused financial strain for some couples, leading to more marital conflict.
As we all know, when you lose your job, you lose more than a paycheck.
Whether you were laid-off or flat-out fired, the financial stress and embarrassment of being unemployed, plus the anger, worry and lowered self-esteem that can go with it, can strain even the most solid or relationships.
Parenting Issues and Virtual Classrooms
Many wondered at the start of the pandemic things would play out, but we think it’s safe to say that nobody believed that the pandemic would last as long as it has, nor that Ontarians would be locked down for as much as we have.
People’s lives, businesses and employment were turned upside down.
The working from home dynamic, combined with children learning from home, raised relationship issues surrounding parenting. Roles changed and parents not normally at home to participate in parenting were thrust into it. Unfortunately, some parents learned that they don’t see eye-to-eye on parenting issues. Maybe they disagreed on meals, homework or vaccinations. Social distancing implications may also be approached differently by each parent. Parents who were usually spending most of the week at work now found themselves confronted with all of the above issues, leading to strains on their relationship.
Conclusion
Divorce has always been hard, but divorce in a pandemic can be even harder.
Feel free to call our office today to book a free 30-minute consultation.
This blog is made available by the law firm publisher, Epstein & Associates, for educational purposes. It provides general information and a general understanding of the law but does not provide specific legal advice. Any specific questions about your legal concerns please contact us now and speak to an expert today.