Research predicts divorce inquiries will increase by 300 percent in January, as more couples try to stay together to avoid ruining the holidays.
According to The Guardian, the Co-operative Legal Services expects divorce inquiries to rise 332 percent next month. A quarter of those couples already plan to get divorced even before Christmas. They just stuck up with each other to avoid ruining Christmas, which is usually spent with families.
The research based their data on 500 divorces. The study shows that men hold off from going through divorce proceedings after special events compared to women. Women are more likely to start conversations on divorce than men. More than 50 percent of divorced women said this is what happened to them.
Meanwhile, according to The Telegraph, law firms usually see a spike in divorce cases every January that they have nicknamed it "divorce day." Co-op Legal Service family law head Sam Hickman said, "We know from out research that this anticipated surge in enquiries is not as a result of Christmas being the straw that broke the camel's back."
Hickman said, "The decision to separate is not taken lightly and couples have already considered divorcing for a number of months and hold off announcing their plans until after the festive period, mainly to avoid upset among family members."
The Western Morning News reported that this phenomenon peaks on Monday, January 4. Andrew Barton, who is a partner in Stephens Scown LLP's family law firm, has seen this increase many times. He said that the New Year intensifies the desire to make a new start. The Westcounty law firm sees a 60 percent increase in divorce inquiries in January.
According to Barton, divorce doesn't necessarily have to involve court proceedings. There are other quicker and cheaper alternatives to divorce, like mediation or collaborative law. He said it is best for these couples to explore all options.
