HAPPILY NEVER AFTER

We take a look at why more couples are divorcing later in life

- Alicia Pyke.

Simone and Ravi were one of those couples other married people thought of as perfect. They had a successful small business, three amazing kids and spoke of more ups than downs when they saw friends.

So when the time came for Simone, 43, to tell family and friends that the 18-year marriage was over, their surprise said it all. "Everyone was shocked," she says. "From my mum to the neighbours and our work team, no one could believe it." Worse than shock was the sadness that they responded with.

"A mum from school burst into tears because she said if we couldn't make it together, how could anyone else? Everyone thought we were solid. That was part of the problem - nobody knew we'd been drifting apart for years."

The average age for divorce is increasing according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with women aged 40 to 44 most likely to divorce, up from 38 in 2000. According to the most recent ABS data, almost 50,000 divorces were granted in Australia in 2020. Since divorce requires a minimum 12-month separation under Australian law, those couples called it quits in 2019 or earlier, so it’s officially too early to know what impact COVID is having. But we all know someone whose relationship didn’t make it through pandemic lockdowns, working from home and home-schooling.

While it’s too soon to see any trends, the stigma around seeking mental health support which includes relationship difficulties is slowly reducing and more people are definitely reaching out,” says clinical psychologist Julie Fox.

WHY IT’S HAPPENING