The World Cup can spell heartache off the pitch for married couples, warns a leading Leicestershire divorce lawyer, as wives can feel abandoned and neglected by husbands watching back-to-back matches every day.
Jane Cowley, Family Law Partner and Head of the East Midlands Private Client Group at Howes Percival LLP, says the World Cup can bring to the boil a spouse's feeling of being under-valued. Lack of quality time together and poor communication can force a marriage to breaking point.
Jane Cowley said: "The World Cup can spell the end for strained marriages. For a fanatical football fan, the tournament is a time of enjoyment. But for a spouse who is already under strain, a prolonged period where their husband is glued to the telly or in the pub each night can be the catalyst for separation."
Jane added: "What is very important, however, is how spouses deal with the situation, and what they choose to do next. If they both accept the relationship has irretrievably broken down, then separation and divorce may naturally follow.
"There are 'bad' divorces and 'better' ones. Sadly, almost one in every three marriages fail, and among those many thousands of divorces each year, there can be a whole spectrum, running from bitter and protracted divorces, to amicable and consensual divorces.
"Both the husband and the wife should seek legal advice from a Resolution trained lawyer. One route they might like to consider is Collaborative Law. This allows them both to keep control of the situation and avoids the need to ask the Courts to make decisions on their behalf.
"There is a regional network of collaboratively trained lawyers, accessed by the Resolution website. All parties work together, in open and transparent meetings. The meetings focus on the spouses' concerns and work towards achieving solutions for their problems."
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