Hong Kong families need more help to cope with the trauma of divorce
Paul Yip and Melissa Chan say that, with divorce on the rise in Hong Kong, families going through the trauma should have more support and better schemes to help them cope with the challenges
Divorce is on the rise in Hong Kong and the phenomenon has spread to nearly all sectors of society - rich and poor, young and old. The total number of divorces granted in 2012 in Hong Kong (23,255) was more than 10 times the number in 1981 (2,062 cases). The youngest person to have got a divorce in 2012 was just 18, while the oldest was 82, according to our records.
It is estimated that the proportion of children affected by divorce has risen from 4 per cent in 2001 to 7 per cent in 2012.
In a recently completed study, data collected from the Family Court suggested that the average length of marriage is 12.1 years, and is closely related to the number of children couples have. The proportion of childless couples filing for divorce has increased over the years, with an average length of marriage of seven years. However, for couples with one or two children, their marriages last for an average of 14.3 years; for couples with three or more children, their marriages last for an average of 22.2 years. Hence, having children appears to extend the length of a marriage.
Our research also suggests that divorced couples and their children are worse off financially than the general population in Hong Kong. In the study, at least 30 per cent of divorced households with children lived under the poverty line, in comparison with fewer than 20 per cent of married households.
While a small number of our interviewees felt positive after divorce, its impact is largely negative for couples' emotional and financial well-being. Divorce also had a detrimental effect on children academically, emotionally and with regard to their behaviour.
The increase in divorce cases is having a profound impact on society, especially the well-being of families. In order to ease the pressure from divorce, here are a few suggestions to consider.
First, housing and social welfare should be strengthened - for example, by adjusting the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and single-parent allowance - to bolster financial and housing support for divorced families.
