Browsing by Author "Dereje, Wubedel"

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    The Causes and Psychosocial Impacts of Divorce on Women: the Case of Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA) Supported Women
    (Addis Ababa University, 2014-11) Dereje, Wubedel; Mulugeta, Emebet (PhD)
    There is an increasing interest in revealing the causes as well asthe psychological and social effects of marital disintegration on women who have undergone through the divorce process. Thus, the study attempts to identify the causes &the psychosocial impacts of divorce on women during and after marital dissolution. The study focuses particularly on women who have approached the Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA) in Addis Ababa. Currently, EWLA is providing free legal aid service for approximately 150 women who seek assistance as a result of marriage related problems. The present study explores the experiences of divorced women from their own point of view using qualitative in-depth interview method with the combination of Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as well as key informant interviews. The research used 16 divorced women and 2 key informants from the EWLA as data sources and they were selected using purposive sampling technique. The study finds that the causes of divorce are multidimensional such as financial irresponsibility, infidelity and domestic violence because of alcohol addiction. In consequence, someof the women face traumatic and stressful life events psychologically, socially and economically that has disrupted their overall well- being. It is also found that in addition the negative effects, divorce also has immense beneficial factors on women who have undergone through the divorce process that allows them to experience the various positive effects. Apart from this, the women have been able to use different strategies in their post divorce lives to cope with divorce related problems. The combined effects of divorce’s various positive impacts and the appropriate coping mechanisms used by the women have made the women’s post divorce adjustment possible and significant. The psychosocial issues explored in relation to the lives of divorced women reveal that for some women divorce has negative results while for the majority its effect is advantageous in every aspect. Conversely, the post divorce consequences are severe for most children of divorced women as they have been suffering from the various divorce related problems. These childrenfeel that their parents abandon them and dislike themwhich results in emotional confusion and sadness that has long-termnegative impact in their overall well-being. Hence, the study has recommended that divorce is the best alternative for those women who are in a violent and disagreeing marital relationship. In addition, to keep the well-being of children, regular visitation schedules should be arranged for fathers in order to involve them in their children’s lives