Nobody really relishes the prospect of going through divorce proceedings, even if they know a happier and more secure life awaits on the other side.
Divorces are traditionally made somewhat difficult to obtain, and there are laws designed to make the process take longer than it strictly needs to.
This is presumably done with the intention of ensuring that couples who are considering a divorce really have thought about the decision, and do sincerely believe that it is the best thing to do.
And while we shouldn’t dismiss the barriers to divorce altogether – many of them do exist with good reason – and while everyone will have differing views on the subject, we think it’s definitely appropriate to discuss the question of whether divorce is necessarily as easily accessible as it should be, for everyone who wants it.
Some restrictions are a good idea, and furthermore, some are almost necessary, such as the involvement of family solicitors in Cardiff or elsewhere.
But while it’s always good to have happily married couples together, the restrictions on the availability of divorce may sometimes prove detrimental to the well being of everyone involved – both parties, and any dependants of the couple.
We mention this, as a new survey has shown that 20 per cent of people stay with their partners because they can’t afford to break up.
The costs associated with a divorce in such cases will potentially keep a couple in a marriage that neither one wants to be in any more.
In other cases, the issue may be less over the cost of a divorce, and more about the prospect of one partner being financially dependent on the other.
With two people not being assured of being able to continue life without the financial security afforded by their relationship, the monetary cost of a divorce or of legal disputes over ownership of shared property would only be likely to constitute a further burden.
The data in this survey was pulled from a representative sample of 2,000 British adults, conducted on behalf of the Debt Advisory Centre.
While over 20 per cent of people who reported staying in a relationship due to money pressures did so for up to three months, 43 per cent of the same group reported doing so for over a year.
The survey included couples who are not married. Spokesman for the DAC Ian Williams said the results were ‘shocking’ but ‘not that surprising,’ as ‘It’s tough to end the bonds we create in a relationship, and financial ties can often be the hardest to break.’