Exploring post-divorce experiences : a case study on professional women in Singapore

Abstract

Divorce rates in Singapore have increased by 43.1% from 5160 in 2000 to 7386 in 2009. Based on divorces documented under the Women’s Charter, amongst the female divorcees, the largest group was aged between 35 to 44 years old, at 37.6%. Despite divorce being a prominent social issue in Singapore, there is a paucity of information available on the experiences of divorcees, especially that of divorced women with professional careers. This exploratory study aims to gather insights on the life after divorce for professional divorced women in Singapore and how they maintain the impressions people have of them both in the public and private spheres of their lives. The findings highlight some interesting recurring themes on the experiences of the ten professional divorced women that participated in the research. These themes include the cause of divorce due to infidelity on the part of their ex-husbands, the constant struggle over divorce settlements and maintenance for the children in the family court, the changing role of fathers after the divorce, the positive ramifications of social network support and last but not least, socio-economic status as a tool for the reconstruction of self-esteem after the divorce.