Australia’s divorce rate is predicted to reach a peak in the ‘era of new normality’, as job losses and restricted movement are pushing many couples to breaking point. The Australian reports that Google searches for the term divorce have peaked over the past year, surpassing post-festive season search figures. Courtney Mullen of Australian Family Lawyers compares the current situation to that encountered during the 2008 crisis. There was a 5% rise in divorces in the following year (2009), revealing the effect of the tension and stress posed by the global financial crisis.

Although this year has seen many queries and consultations into the possibility of divorce, many clients are postponing their physical separation until the health scare is over. This is logical, considering the effect that the crisis is having on household incomes, many of which are currently relying on the earnings of just one partner (since the other may have lost their job). Brides and grooms are also inquiring about the process of name changes post divorce. Unlike customs in Spain and other European countries, it is traditional for women to take their husband’s name after marriage, and around 80% opt to do just that. After a divorce, many are keen to ‘start from scratch’, or to build their career around a professional name that stands apart from their professional lives. In the age of social media, utilising one’s pre-marriage name can also make it easier for friends and family living far-off to find loved ones and reconnect after many years.

The pandemic cannot be blamed altogether for higher divorce rates, although home confinement has contributed to many couples finding things out about each other that may have taken a lot longer under other circumstances. This year has essentially enabled couples to filter out qualities that may be incompatible with their plans for a long-term future. Recent research compiled by Legal Templates shows that home-schooling of children, dealing with rising mental illness rates, and having to change financial arrangements, have caused irreparable damage in many relationships. The interest in divorce peaked during the first few weeks of lockdown, coinciding with what professionals call the ‘disillusionment phase’ of the Phases of Disaster list. During this time, positivity turns to disappointment, stress rises, and negative behaviours can manifest themselves.

Divorce rates are predicted to rise next year, as is indicated by the increased interest in legal requirements and procedures displayed by couples online. Financial and emotional stress have done plenty to lower patience, while home confinement has enabled couples to spot qualities they may not have known their ‘better half’ possessed. Couples who do not wish to divorce but who spot the effects that stress is having on their relationship should seek professional couples counselling, so as to discover if their problems are temporary, or if they have deeper roots that cannot be removed.