As a researcher investigating the complexities of Portugal’s social dynamics, I have noticed a considerable shift in the country’s divorce rates over the past years. I will therefore attempt herein to give the readers a comprehensive understanding of the current scenario of divorce in Portugal.
"The period of my observation in Portugal was happening during significant transformative changes in the marriage and the divorce rates of the country. My aim with this article is to study the key aspects of Portugal’s divorce rate that are historical, socieconomic, and sociocultural.
I will include in it the data from the first survey by the National Institute of the Statistics (INE) which reflected that the crude of the rate of divorce in Portugal was 0.1 per 1,000 inhabitants at the beginning of the 1970s whereas it went up and reached 2.6 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2019. Thus, the emphasis on this matter will continue and the different standpoints will be clarified to the audience.
Historical Trends in Portugal’s Divorce Rate
Portugal has experienced a remarkable change in its divorce rate which can be dated back to the 1970s. According to the Vastsys report, most people in 1970 were opposed to the fact that divorce should be considered a predictory of the high youthful population in Portugal and their high abortion rate. However, the country has secured a consistent increase in divorce rates in the last years.
At the end of the last forty years, none or very few marriage unions broke up by divorce cases in Portugal; thus, the high-degree attachment of all its residents to religious beliefs could have been indicated. However, marriage problems have changed because of these factors and kept the steady rise of the divorce rate.
Factors Influencing Divorce Rates in Portugal
Societal and Cultural Changes
The following are some of the societal and cultural reasons for the increased divorce rate in Portugal:
Changing gender roles and the rise in female participation in economy
Change in the marital condition and the acquisition of freedom
Reduced catholic church values in the family life
Increased use of divorce as a way of getting out of marriage fiascos
Economic Factors
Some economic aspects have also played a hurry role in Portugal’s divorce rate:
Economic downturns, job loss, and economic difficulties of material strain on marriage
Rise of the economic form of women in society
The expensive living cost and housing obstacle to the young couple
Portugal’s Divorce Rate in European Context
When comparing Portugal’s divorce data with different European countries, it is important to mention that the country rates around the average. On the one hand, Eurostat data from 2019 indicated Portugal’s crude divorce rate at 2.0 per 1,000 inhabitants almost the same as the EU average of 1.8.
Lithuania (3.1) and Latvia (3.1) were among those with the highest rates, whereas Malta (0.7) and Ireland (0.7) were among the lowest. In comparing these, it seems that the Portuguese divorce trend is parallel to the European pattern.
Legal Framework for Divorce in Portugal
The knowledge of the legal dimension of divorce in Portugal is the key to envisage the whole picture. The country’s divorce legislations have undergone robust changes in the over past decades:
1975: The implementation of the law made it possible for every individual in Portugal, regardless of religious practice, to file a divorce petition.
2008: The “No-fault” divorce was introduced, giving legal options of a quicker process through reduced separation periods, and less paperwork.
At present, two types of divorce are recognized in Portugal:
The mutual consent decree is applied for divorces that the two parties agree on, these are the cases that are the easiest to solve.
Trial divorce on the other hand arises when a natural person who is a party to marriage addresses the court for help.
Impact of Divorce on Portuguese Families and Society
Noted below are some of the possible effects provoked by the exponential rise in divorce in the Portuguese country so far:
Escalation of the number of single-parent families
Modification in the family interaction and the ways they educate their children
Loss of economic assets among divorced persons, mainly women
Increase in demand for social services and supporting structures
Recent Changes and Reforms
In the past few years, the country has put forward several points to solve the problems of divorce. These are the points of improvement by the states:
Update of the legal rights of children on the issue in divorce cases
More effective mediation services that help to ensure that the separations will remain in a friendly atmosphere
Better treatment of shared parental responsibilities after divorce
Expert Insights
Maria Santos, a sociologist at the University of Lisbon, says, “The high rate of divorce in Portugal is a symptom of a larger societal change. Although it can be breakthrough, it also reveals a society where people have more liberties to make decisions about their personal lives.”
According to AntΓ³nio Silva, a family lawyer, “It looks like a shift towards the use of collaboration tools to settle separation issues instead of the traditional fight in courts is what causes the spreading of collaborative divorce from one year to another. In this way, the subtle aim is to decrease the level of friction in families, and it helps kids a lot.”
Support Systems and Resources
Families that are faced with divorce have different resources and support systems at hand thus dealing with this issue in Portugal is feasible in the upcoming times:
Family mediation servuces
Legal aid
Counseling and psychological support
Support groups for divorced individuals and single parents
Conclusion
Summing up, it should be mentioned that from one side Portugal’s divorce rate has been in particular attention the last few decades, which is an indictment of the broader societal, cultural, and economical evolvement of the country.
The high rate, which is negative, can be looked at from the other side too, as it shows that the society has developed such culture where individuals are more demanding in personal freedoms. The country will still have to undergo some changes in view of these findings.
In order to help the families who experience similar struggles to those related to divorce during this time, a continuous endeavor will be needed. By getting the insight about the divorce challenging issue in Portugal we could suggest a more helpful and nondiscriminative approach to all kinds of families.
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