As one stay-at-home order after another was issued in March, a lot of people began to joke about the inevitable baby boom that was sure to come in December 2020. It was assumed that all of that one-on-one time together would lead to only one thing.
However, being stuck at home together clearly wasn’t as cute or fun as most couples expected. Rather than babies, it’s actually divorce that’s booming.
Anecdotal or Actual? Divorce Data in the COVID-19 Era
Perhaps you have noticed that a couple of your friends’ relationship statuses on Facebook have disappeared. Or maybe your best friend confided that she simply could not stay married for a moment longer. For many, it appears that divorce is on the rise, but do the numbers prove it?
Surprisingly, yes. Data shows that it took only a couple weeks of quarantine for the divorce rate to skyrocket. Here are some numbers to consider that were published in Psychology Today:
- Some law firms are seeing a 70 percent increase in calls about divorce, compared to the same time period last year.
- Legal Templates found that there was a 34 percent increase in divorce agreement sales this summer, compared to the same time last year.
- People who were married less than 5 years were more likely to seek a divorce during the pandemic.
What’s Leading Couples to the Courtroom During the Pandemic?
The pressures of the pandemic have been intense, and many couples have found that their marriage is simply not strong enough to survive. These are just a couple of the reasons why the number of divorces has increased during the last several months:
- Couples who previously did not have to spend much time together were isolated with one another for months on end. They could no longer ignore any fissures in the foundation of their marriage.
- Many couples had to deal with reduced incomes or job losses during the pandemic. Financial hardship has long been a leading cause for divorce.
You Want a Divorce. What’s Next?
For many couples, the pandemic has exacerbated the issues within their marriage. Excessive time together pushed people to the edge, and extreme financial hardship became insurmountable. If your marriage is not going to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, then the best thing you can do is contact an experienced Tampa divorce attorney. The right attorney will be able to support you during this challenging time, and help you begin the next chapter of your life.
Contact our office today to set up a consultation appointment with our leading Tampa divorce attorney.
If you have questions for a Tampa divorce lawyer, or are unaware of the terms and conditions of a Tampa divorce, talk to, and retain, a family law attorney who can help. Contact Damien McKinney of The McKinney Law Group to discuss your case further. He can be reached by phone at 813-428-3400 or by e-mail at [email protected]