How the Pandemic Has Affected Divorce Rates in Latin America

By 15 February, 2022

The number of divorces and breakups throughout the world has decreased considerably in the short months following the imposition of quarantine restrictions on travelers. For many people, there were numerous issues with daily routines, irritations, and living together 24 hours a day, seven days a week were major issues. According to analysts, there will be five times as many divorces in the next several years as there are now. Many attorneys are now offering their clients an easy and quick method to file divorce online through the use of the internet as a result of this development.

Why the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of divorces

The Wiley Online Library conducted a poll of 296 separated and divorced parents to determine the causes behind the high divorce rate during the pandemic. The results were published online. Constant communication with children (43.2 percent), opinions on coronavirus compliance (41.2 percent), discussion of school problems (38.5 percent), financial issues (38.5 cents), distance education (31.8 cents) and opinions on science (31.8 cents) were found to be the most common sources of conflict (16.6 percent).

According to the facts shown above, the pandemic has exacerbated the problems that families are already experiencing. Even while divorce rates plummeted drastically during the interval of self-initial isolation (March-April 2020), there was a long-term trend toward fewer divorces following that period. The number of divorces in five United States states declined from March to May 2020, as compared to the same period in 2018-2019, as an illustration of this trend. Following a period of decrease, the number of marriages that end in divorce has begun to climb again.

What do numbers say?

During the first few months of the outbreak, divorce rates in Latin America fell by a substantial amount. During the period from January to April 2020, the number of people who died reduced from 50 to 13.8 thousand. A significant recovery, however, occurred once the quarantine was progressively lifted and restrictions were relaxed. Following the outbreak, the number of individuals increased to 63.4 thousand in September 2020, which is a significant increase over the previous year. Divorce rates declined to 47.4 thousand in November, following the implementation of more restrictions during the epidemic’s second wave of spread. When compared to previous years, the number of divorces in Sweden increased over the summer. Countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom, and Indonesia have all suffered from the same plight. The rate of divorce in Brazil is likely to reach its highest level since 2007 in the second half of 2020, according to forecasts. Turkey was the exception, with a 13.8 percent decline in the number of marriages in 2020, but only a 10.1 percent drop in the number of engagements.

What about families with children?

There has also been a rise in the frequency of divorces among married couples who had children in recent years. Even when a couple makes every effort to remain together in order to raise their children as a family, the number of divorced families with minor children is predicted to increase by 5 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year.

And, of course, newly-weds

Couples who are newlyweds suffer the most from self-isolation. When the epidemic hit, more than half of the marriages that ended in divorce had barely been together for five months. Because they didn’t have time to travel on a honeymoon and instead spent weeks together, it’s probable that the newlyweds were pressured to integrate into family life too soon. Those young couples who were obliged to live with one of their partners’ families found it to be a particularly difficult experience. They were not alone in their feelings.

Why do Hispanics get divorced?

According to a report by an international audit and consulting network, the number of divorces in Latin America increased by 44 percent between January and May of this year, reaching 251.9 thousand. Experts believe this is due to the fact that Hispanics would put off getting married during the quarantine in 2020. Then, as soon as the register offices were able to resume operations, those seeking a divorce were able to re-enter the fray. There will be a 30.1 percent increase in the number of couples who wish to start a family lawfully in 2021, according to the National Center for Family Planning. What are the main features of these divorces?

1. Closed administrative offices.

According to attorneys, the increase in the number of indications might be related to the temporary closure of registration offices. It was necessary for people to wait until the quarantine period was through before filing for divorce. Others who had the opportunity saw it as a golden opportunity, but for those who didn’t, it was a matter of life and death. One person may have altered his or her opinion about marriage, while the other may have waited to do a second evaluation of their or her relationship. It is possible for the number of divorces and marriages to increase while also decreasing at the same time. The average measurements, on the other hand, will continue to fall within the predicted parameters.

2. Initiators

According to the attorney, both men and women have equal responsibility for initiating a discussion. Infidelity, financial difficulties, and alcohol and drug misuse are some of the most prevalent reasons for divorce, according to statistics.

3. Physical isolation

Several sociologists have long anticipated a rise in the number of divorces in the country as a result of the quarantine and the state of the country’s economic situation.

Researchers believe that increased physical and mental isolation are to blame for an increase in divorces and family issues in recent years. The severity of the lockdown, which happened in the spring of 2020, was quite high, and the situation was extremely dire. Young couples found themselves one-on-one in a new living structure, yet the flaws in each other’s personalities remained unchanged.

Not only is the legal procedure of divorcing a spouse time-consuming, but it is also a difficult moral process. When personal relationships come to an end, it is usual for disagreements to arise over child custody and property distribution. Even if the subject of children can only be resolved post-factually, quietly or through the courts, a marriage contract can be utilized to address property concerns in advance. Positive mood has increased in recent years, which is a welcome development. It is no longer considered a sign of distrust between a couple when a prenuptial agreement is signed. As soon as you get the hang of it, you’ll realize that this is a useful tool that saves both time and money.


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