Marriage – Managing Coronavirus
A virus that has caused widespread damage to our economy and way of life has struck America. It has been completely disruptive, and the after-effects will be felt for years if not decades to come. But during this time when some things have changed so fast that all of our lives were flipped upside down, some relationships are being sorely tested and some ripped apart.
Marriages in the United States are not immune to failure. Divorce is not an uncommon experience. 40 to 50 percent of marriages in America end in divorce. Subsequent marriages tend to exhibit an even higher divorce rate. The coronavirus pandemic saw people sheltering in place all over the world and thrust into close proximity for long periods with their spouses. The stress of the lockdown, the uncertainty of the future, and money worries caused a massive spike in the divorce rates in China, Europe, and other places. If their statistics are anything to go by, we could see the same or worse levels here in the United States.
A survey found that just over one-third of couples said the quarantine had harmed their relationship. It’s currently impossible to know just how much divorce filings are increasing because courts have been closed across the nation. Los Angeles County, the nation's largest court system, has been closed with not even any electronic filing available, except for emergencies.
Essentially, everything is on hold, but as soon as things can be filed, it might end up being a bit of a dogfight trying to get your case dealt with. In places that are now reopening like New York City, they have to deal with the backlog of divorces that were already in process from before COVID struck and caused widespread havoc before they start looking at any new filings. If you wanted a divorce in New York, it was close to impossible. Even celebrities were turned away. Mary-Kate Olsen was denied an emergency divorce from her husband because it wasn't deemed an "essential" matter in New York's pandemic-closed courts.
The economic uncertainty the world is going through might also be a big factor in couples being under enormous strain. The number one issue couples fight about is money. According to research, money fights are the second leading cause of divorce, behind infidelity. Making sure your finances are in order and you and your partner have good open communication about goals and money, is a way to try and eliminate any nasty fights down the road.
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