US divorce rates skyrocket amid COVID-19 pandemic

Divorce rates have spiked in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic as couples have been stuck at home for months.

The number of people looking for divorces was 34 percent higher from March through June compared to 2019, according to new data collected Legal Templates, a company that provides legal documents.

The combination of stress, unemployment, financial strain, death of loved ones, illness, homeschooling children, mental illnesses, and more has put a significant strain on relationships.

The data showed that 31 percent of the couples admitted lockdown has caused irreparable damage to their relationships.

Interest in separation during quarantine peaked on April 13 — just about 15-20 days into when the vast majority of states began lockdowns.

“This uptick could coincide with what health and human services professionals refer to as the ‘disillusionment phase’ of the Phases of Disaster– the time when optimism turns to discouragement, stress heightens, and negative reactions often occur,” the group wrote.

They also found that newlyweds took the hardest hit.

In fact, 20 percent of couples who sought divorce who were married within the past five months or less, compared to the just 11 percent in 2019 – doubling the rate.

“This indicates that recently married couples were less equipped to deal with the stressors of the COVID-19 virus than mature couples,” said the group.

States along the Bible Belt recorded the highest number of divorce rate during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Arkansas and Alabama

The number of life insurance policies and payouts required in divorce settlements soared as well.

“It’s possible that divorce rates will continue to rise as economic, financial, social, institutional, and psychological turmoil from the COVID-19 virus unfolds,” concluded Legal Templates.