Why Does January Consistently Witness A High Divorce Rate?

It is officially February and that might just be a good thing for your relationship. Not only are we approaching Valentine’s Day but we have made it through January, which has a notorious rep for breaking marriages. 

The first working Monday of the New Year has earned the unenviable title “Divorce Day” amongst solicitors thanks to the post-holiday spike in divorce inquiries reported by many law firms. Note this does not equate to divorce filings, but it may suggest at least a strong interest in parting ways. 

Indeed, it is not January but March and August that appear to see the highest rates of marital breakup. 

However, previous research has linked divorce to seasonal holidays, finding consistent spikes in marital separation in the following months. “[Seasonal holidays are] very symbolically charged moments in time for the culture,” Julie Brines, an associate sociology professor at the University of Washington, said in a statement.

The study, which looked into 14 years’ worth of divorce filings in Washington state, found patterns in divorce rates were steady from year to year. Brines attributes this finding to an increase in expectations during the holiday period, which often comes with a sense of new beginning and an opportunity to mend fractured relationships. 

Holidays also come with a heap of stress and financial pressure. If expectations are dashed, the fallout could trigger a journey towards separation – one that ultimately ends in a divorce filing in March or August. 

The association of January with divorce may also relate to a slump in divorce filings in the run-up to the winter holidays, which are associated with family and celebration. Consequently, filing for divorce at this time may be seen as taboo and any resulting rise in divorce proceedings may appear more noticeable.

In more positive news, it does appear the rate of divorce is decreasing – at least in comparison to peak divorce rates in the 1980s. According to the National Center for Family & Marriage, the rate of women divorcing in 2022 is down a third on what it was forty years ago (14.6 versus 22.6 per 1,000 married women in 1980).

Source Link: Why Does January Consistently Witness A High Divorce Rate?