Divorce rise for China’s rural residents

It seems divorce is on the up everywhere in the world, and China is no exception, rural residents of Bejing are catching with the urbanities in the divorce rate. Reports show the main reason for the family disintegration is due to long-term separating between spouses when one or both head for the cities as migrant workers for better pay. It’s believed there are over 10 million rural migrant workers in China.

Rural residents have been encouraged by governments at all levels to search out the “good life” in cities. Cheap labour has been of great interest with policy makers, and they seem to be indifferent about workers obligations with families. This effects the divorce rate and also the families left behind suffer too.

Rural divorce in Nanyang, Henan Province has risen from 29 percent in 2004 to 35 percent in 2006, which is a 5.4 percent annual increase, statistics were from the courts in Nanyang. A higher annual increase was found in Jintan in Jiangsu Province, statistics by the courts show a 20 percent annual increase.

Lawsuits were considered ignominious in rural China where traditional values were high, family loyalty and patriarchal authorities were also very strong. It was as if young couples were obligated to show gratitude to their parents, and respect their family. When couples got married it was looked on as a family affair, since the couple had more obligations to their family than their new spouse.

Traditional values are being steadily eroded, marriage has become more of a convenience and long time separation is fatal, the migrants are usually overworked and sexually starved and as they working away from home, they become vulnerable to extramarital affairs and feel superior to their spouses they left behind.

Though these migrants are often despised and lead only a marginal existence in cities, they seem to be economically superior to their spouses left behind.

In China statistics show there were around one million divorces involving rural couple in 2004, affecting about 2 million children.

Source: news.cn