FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1980
IMPORTANCE OF HAPPY MARITAL RELATIONSHIP
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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS EVELYN DOE
DISCLOSED TODAY THAT MARITAL CONFLICT CASES WERE ON THE INCREASE HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION TO PREVENT FAMILY BREAKDOWNS.
IN A TALK GIVEN TO THE LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG EAST, SHE SAID THE FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAD BEEN DEALING WITH MORE CASES OF MARITAL DISCORD THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND THE NUMBER OF DIVORCE CASES HANDLED BY THE SUPREME COURT HAS GONE UP FROM 893 IN 1975 TO 2 018 LAST YEAR, SHE SAID.
BROKEN FAMILIES CAN BREED MANY SOCIAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND DRUG ABUSE, AND THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES ARE PROVIDING REMEDIAL SERVICES.
HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO PREVENT THAN CURE, MRS DOE SAID, AND FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION THEREFORE COMES IN AS A PREVENTIVE SERVICE WHICH HAS THE LONG-TERM AIM OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF FAMILY LIFE AND INTER-PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT AS COUPLES WERE THE NUCLEUS OF THE FAMILY, THEIR MARITAL RELATIONSHIP WOULD NOT ONLY AFFECT THEMSELVES BUT ALSO HAVE BEARING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN.
THE CURRENT FAMILY LIFE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, THROUGH ITS VARIOUS FORMS OF ACTIVITIES, ATTEMPTS TO STRESS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ADEQUATE PREPARATION BEFORE MARRIAGE AND THE NEED FOR ADJUSTMENTS IN AND ENRICHMENTS OF MARRIED LIFE, SHE SAID.
+SOME YOUNG PEOPLE TEND TO RUSH INTO MARRIAGE THESE DAYS WITHOUT THOROUGHLY UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF MATRIMONIAL ALLIANCE, AND WE WANT THEM TO REALISE THAT GOOD PREPARATION IS THE SEED OF FUTURE HAPPINESS.+
AS TO NEWLY-WEDS, MRS DOE SAID THERE WAS A COMMON MISTAKE THAT ONCE THEY WERE MARRIED, THEY NEED NOT TRY ANY HARDER, IF AT ALL, TO MAINTAIN HARMONY.
+MARITAL ADJUSTMENT IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT STAGE FOR THE NEWLY-WEDS - A PERIOD WHEN MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT AND ACCEPTANCE HAVE TO PLAY THE IR PART.+
FOR THOSE WHO ARE MARRIED FOR A LONG TIME, MANY WOULD TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED AND EXCUSE THEMSELVES BY SAYING THEY ARE OLD COUPLES.
+THE LENGTH OF MARRIED LIFE IS IN NO WAY AN EXCUSE TO LAX IN EFFORTS, SHE SAID.
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