The Causes and Psychosocial Impacts of Divorce on Women: the Case of Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA) Supported Women
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Date
2014-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
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
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Supported women