COVID-19 Lockdown Could Lead to More Divorces
Ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the COVID-19 outbreak is a pandemic on March 11, 2020, the United States and many countries throughout the world have issued “stay-at-home” orders to have people isolate themselves at home in order to “flatten the curve.” Although being at home with a spouse all day and every day can bring a couple closer together than ever before, it can also lead to more marital disputes and even divorce.
In fact, when China eased its lockdown restrictions in March, media reports from different cities showed a significant rise in divorce filings. According to a Bloomberg Businessweek report, Chinese cities Xian and Dazhou experienced a record-high number of couples filing for divorce in early March, resulting in long backlogs. A divorce lawyer in Shanghai said his caseload experienced a 25-percent increase in mid-March.
The common trend appears to be that the more time couples spent together in COVID-19 quarantine, the more they hated one another. Constant conflicts erupt over trivial matters and poor communication in attempting to overcome these obstacles has caused an overall disappointment in marriage, leading to divorce.
Additionally, COVID-19 quarantine has also resulted in more domestic violence incidents in China. Sixth Tone (an online publication based in Shanghai) reported that a police station near Wuhan received 162 domestic abuse calls in February, which was three times more than 47 incidents during the same period last year.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline and law enforcement agencies throughout the United States have experienced an increase in domestic violence calls in March. Since millions of people lost their jobs after businesses were forced to close, on top of the financial stress of paying household bills and supporting the family, all these factors have led to family-related violence.
Whether you are interested in filing for divorce after these stay-at-home orders have been lifted or been accused of domestic violence in St. Augustine or Jacksonville, our legal team at Albaugh Law Firm can provide experienced and knowledgeable legal counsel to help you obtain the results and justice you desire. We are still available either over the phone or through two-way video conferencing to help our clients in a number of different legal matters.
For more information about divorce and domestic violence during COVID-19 lockdown, contact us today and schedule a free consultation.
