The year 2020 presented many hardships for residents of Tennessee, some financial and some personal in nature. With people spending more time at home, some thought this would increase friction between those whose relationship was already rocky. However, one relationship expert in Tennessee asserts that the divorce rate in recent months is actually falling.
Divorce rate may be dropping
While the divorce rate seemed to escalate quickly in the early days of the pandemic, in recent months the divorce rate is dropping. This is true not just in Tennessee, but in other states across the nation including New York, California, Florida, Rhode Island, Oregon and Missouri. According to one survey conducted in April 2020, 29.9% of respondents stated that the pandemic had a negative impact on their marriage, and they will seek a divorce. However, in a second survey conducted in February 2021, 17% of respondents stated that the pandemic had actually made their marriage stronger.
Why the decline in divorce filings?
There are a variety of reasons why the divorce rate is on the downswing in many areas of the country. For some couples, having to spend more time at home together meant they were engaging in more shared activities together, such as playing a game or cooking a meal, that strengthened their relationship. On a more serious note, stay-at-home orders may have made it more difficult for a spouse to be unfaithful. Also, getting a divorce can be costly and simply may be something that a furloughed or unemployed spouse cannot afford at this time.
Learn more about divorce in Tennessee
In the end, whether the divorce rate continues to decline, or whether there is an uptick as more parts of the country open up, there will always be those whose marriages are simply failing, making divorce their best option. This post is for educational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Our firm’s webpage on divorce may be of interest to those who want to learn more about this topic.