Divorce - is it really the answer?

There are several reasons for seeking divorce by couples: economic, social, psychological or personal. Divorce should not be encouraged by any society; for the simple reason that it has far-reaching consequences not only for the persons involved in the divorce, but also for their children, and society.

The causes of divorce are diverse; sometimes, parents seek divorce on some flimsy grounds, too; in one instance, a husband divorces his wife just because she has ‘Robbie Williams’ tattooed on both ankles, while, in another, a housewife divorces her husband because he wouldn’t let her buy her own underwear. However, in most cases, divorces take place on account of factors, such as: poor communication, financial problems, a lack of commitment to the marriage, infidelity, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, failed expectations or un-met needs, etc.

Whatever may be the reasons for divorce, there is a need for introspection on the part of partners involved in seeking a divorce; as divorce causes many disadvantages to the spouses involved. Needless to say, going through the divorce is a painful process. It leaves the partners totally confused, crestfallen and with a low self-esteem, besides creating emotional disorders. Not only the relationship between the husband and wife sours, but also the relationships with the kith and kin of each spouse get affected. It might so happen that they, too, may take sides against the husband or wife.

Monetarily too, both husband and spouse suffer, because they would have to buy independent apartments, vehicles and other utilities for their individual use, with their own resources for which they might have to borrow from banks. More than anything, divorce means neglected children with a bleak future that leaves them undernourished, poorly educated and deprived of a productive means of livelihood.

In spite of the above, it is not possible to avoid divorce in many a case however much one should try. Rather than the factors cited above for divorce, what matters is the perception of the partners concerned that divorce would buy them peace in life, which may not be true after the separation. Nevertheless, if either the partners or one of them is adamant on getting a divorce, nothing can stop them from the breakup of the marriage.

A few grounds for divorce include ‘separation by consent’ in which the husband and wife live separately with consent for two years. Who knows what would happen during this period? The partners may decide to end the marriage by divorce as already planned, or at least soften their stance, during the interim period, on seeking immediate divorce resulting in an amicable divorce, with fewer implications for their personal lives.

Another ground for divorce is ‘five years separation with consent’ in which case the husband and wife will live separately for five years at the end of which one or both of the partners could seek to obtain a divorce regardless of whether the other party gives consent or not.

A third ground for divorce is ‘desertion’ in which case either the husband or wife will desert the other for a continuous period of two years, which becomes a sufficient ground for seeking a divorce on the part of either of them.

All these grounds for divorce do not necessarily guarantee that the process of divorce is smooth and without any hardships to the parties concerned. If we take this into account, we can safely conclude that seeking divorce is not the panacea for marital discord.

As divorce is a serious sociological problem in the UK, all efforts should be made to prevent divorce at any cost, and seeking divorce should be the last option chosen by couples. There is a need for initiating necessary steps to curb the trend of rising divorce cases. When couples enter into wedlock, proper guidance and counselling should be provided to them regarding the sanctity of marriage and the need to honour the commitment to marriage by the partners concerned through the thick and thin of life. Couples should also be advised to adjust to each other, and practise sharing and caring for each other. Hopefully, this will reverse the trend of increasing number of divorce cases in the UK to a considerable extent.

About the Author:
James Walsh
For more information on divorce see www.managed-divorce.co.uk
Article Source: Articles4Free.com