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Making a decision about divorce

On Behalf of | Oct 16, 2017 | Divorce

Some married Virginia residents might struggle with a decision over whether they should get a divorce. In some cases, it may be easier for people outside of the marriage to assess the situation than for the spouses themselves. However, there are some situations that could mean divorce is the only solution.

For example, a spouse might be abusive. This can include abuse that is verbal and emotional. Often, a person does not realize how bad such a situation is until the spouse turns this abuse toward their children. Even if a marriage is not abusive, witnessing a bad marriage can set a bad example for a child. Parents might want to protect their children from the upheaval of divorce, but they may be unsuccessful at hiding conflict, and this can be stressful for children as well. If tension in the household has reached a point that children notice and comment on it, it might be time to consider divorce.

Another reason for a divorce might be an addiction that a spouse refuses to address. The spouse may have had several incidents involving law enforcement and promised to get treatment each time or even started treatment before relapsing into old habits. A person may feel it is no longer possible to continue in the relationship despite still having feelings for the addict.

Divorce is an emotionally difficult time, but it is important that people who are going through it protect themselves and their children. In the case of abuse or addiction, if the child’s well-being is in danger, it may be necessary to limit the other parent’s access to the child. For example, the parent may only be allowed to have supervised visitation. If the divorce involves a child custody battle or there is too much conflict for parents to negotiate a settlement, litigation may be necessary.

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