It’s a sad fact that many divorces are filed on the first working day in January – or ‘Divorce Day,’ as it is often nicknamed. After enduring extended periods of time together with gritted teeth over Christmas, many couples choose to end their marriage once the fun and frivolity of the season is safely over.

It is of little wonder, then, that the past year of self-isolating and successive lockdowns have produced the same effect. “The pandemic appears to have highlighted a lot of issues in relationships, and we have seen a clear increase in people wishing to finalise their matrimonial matters,” explains Rebecca Brunning, trainee Legal Executive at Christchurch Solicitors in Ipswich. This trend has been echoed all over the country, with some national law firms reporting a staggering 122% upswing in divorce enquiries between September and December 2020, as six months of their ‘new normal’ became too much for many people to bear.

While Covid may have been the final push some needed to leave unfulfilling relationships, others have truly suffered during this isolating time. “We have sadly seen an increase in domestic violence and child abuse cases,” nods Rebecca, alluding to the fact that domestic abuse offences, so often a hidden crime, have been steadily on the rise.

The women’s aid centre, Lighthouse, in Ipswich has been doing all it can to support women and children through this challenging time, which has hit those already in desperate circumstances particularly hard. As ever, lockdown restrictions complicated their work; as described in their June 2021 newsletter, they experienced a drop-off in referrals and a simultaneous slowing down of the process for those ready to move out of the refuge and begin their lives afresh.

Despite these hurdles, they have continued to support abuse survivors and their families, while the law courts begin the task of bringing the perpetrators to justice.

A tall order however, the team at Christchurch Solicitors remain focused on all the good they are able to do – paving a way forward for many stuck in a difficult situation. “We have also seen clients who are able to work through their issues in a positive way, and then be able to move forward with their lives,” smiles Rebecca. 

* To contact the friendly all-female team at Christchurch Solicitors, call 01473 355160 or email info@christchurchlaw.co.uk. They can be found at Soane House, 4 Soane Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2PG.

• For support and information regarding domestic abuse, call Lighthouse on 01473 228 270, or the national domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247