Throughout these difficult circumstances, how are couples who are seeking separation through divorce faring?
Throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, citizens across the U.S. have heard a simple command numerous times: Stay inside. As the virus continues to spread, going outside can put an individual’s own health in jeopardy along with the people around them.
But what if staying inside leads to emotional trauma? What if it leads to constant bickering between partners — perhaps even physical abuse? That simple request suddenly is not so simple.
America is no stranger to broken homes. Despite marriage and divorice rates decreasing, nearly 40 percent of marriages still end in divorce. That statistic still exists during an intensive lockdown such as the “safer at home” initiative sweeping the nation. There are further concerns for financial stability, mental health and emotional soundness.
Statistics have shown that divorce numbers in China steadily increased following the results of their lockdown. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the cities of Xian and Sichuan, which were both in lockdown throughout February and March, saw steady increases in divorce filings once the lockdown began to settle down in mid-March. Government offices have been forced to handle long backlogs, with one report stating “staff members didn’t even have time to drink water.”
To Laura Wasser, an infamous divorce attorney in Los Angeles, this isn’t much of a surprise.
“A quarantine experience, particularly where there are underlying issues of resentment and poor communication, could be devastating to a marital relationship,” Wasser said in an interview with The New Yorker.
Along with this, police reports have also noted an increase in domestic violence in China. This coincides with a nongovernmental organization in Beijing known as Equality, which focuses on gender-based violence, who reported a steady increase in requests for help.
“Lockdown brings out latent tendencies for violence that were there before but not coming out,” co-founder of Equality, Feng Yuan, told Bloomberg Businessweek. “Lockdown also makes help seeking more difficult.”
These circumstances are essentially a warning call to America and every other country that will be placed in lockdown over the next several months due to COVID-19. The lockdown is going to lead to more dangerous marital situations and increased numbers of divorce cases. Along with this, people seeking help from attornies, courts, counselors or police stations will find it far more difficult during this time.
This raises the question of what happens with couples who were previously taking the steps towards divorce before all of this happened? What about already divorced couples who have established child custody agreements?
It is nearly impossible for couples who are seeking divorce during this period to receive that assistance. In most states throughout the country, the courts have been virtually shut down. It had gone as far as the Supreme Court postponing oral arguments for an extended period of time. Because of this, separated couples aren’t likely to find resolution any time soon.
This lockdown is also hurting separated parents. Agreements set in place for child custody rights are being placed on hold. This includes traveling plans for the children, since the CDC said travel has become risky with the spread of the virus. Several parents are becoming uncomfortable with their child traveling by themselves, particularly on planes.
“I can’t imagine putting your kid on a plane right now,” Alphonse Provinziano, a divorce attorney in Los Angeles, told Fast Company. “I have two kids myself that are from a prior marriage, and we just decided it was better for them to stay at their mom’s house. We don’t want them travelling around.”
Alternatives are set in place. Most relationships are currently relying on the use of FaceTime or Zoom, which have become commonly practiced ways of communication for parents who are incapable of seeing their children. Nevertheless, it is easily understood that these formats are nowhere near as personable or pleasant as a face to face interaction.
Yet Provinziano’s situation teaches a very reasonable lesson. Compromise is an essential attribute to exercise during this process of a national pandemic. When faced with situations such as this, while also facing a marriage that is falling apart or has already disintegrated, our most important principles, such as patience and respect, must be set in place. However, that does not mean that the proper steps should not be made when the time is suitable.
Luckily, if a partner is in danger of a domestic violence incident, restraining orders are still in place in the U.S. since it is understood as an essential service. But for couples who are looking to solidify their divorce process, it appears they will have to wait until things begin to cool down.