Do couples who feel imprisoned by wedlock and who yearn to
recover their "freedom" get what they want? A recent report shows
that about 70 percent of divorced Chinese couples regret their
decision to divorce.
The findings -- which contrast with data from Western countries
where attitudes to divorce and divorcees are more tolerant --
reflect a traditionally negative attitude to divorce in China.
The report, released by the Beijing Municipal Committee of China
Association for Promoting Democracy, cited figures of more than 400
divorce lawsuits from 50 cities nationwide.
It claimed that an increasing number of divorced couples choose
to repair their original marriage but gave no figures for "repaired
marriages".
"Marriage counseling should be provided to both teenagers and
adults, offering instruction about dealing with marital problems so
as to maintain a harmonious family," said the report, suggesting
that classes about marriage should be open to college and middle
school students.
Lawyer Ke Zhi, founder of China's first divorce website which
offers legal assistance to parted couples, said that in about 60
percent of the failed marriages he has dealt, "excessive emotional
reactions" were the reason for the divorce. These excessive
reactions explained why so many divorced couples soon regretted
their actions, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2007)
