XN000022-1982-08-24 — Page 11

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14,

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+BUT THESE FIGURES DO NOT INDICATE THAT THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE IS BREAKING DOWN IN A BIG WAY, POINTED OUT MISS ANGELINA LO, AN EXPERIENCED FAMILY SERVICES COUNSELLOR WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

STATISTICS SHOW THAT IN THE PAST TEN YEARS OR SO, DIVORCES IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN INCREASING BY ABOUT 300 TO 400 ̊ A YEAR. THIS YEAR, THE TOTAL FIGURE COULD REACH A RECORD HIGH OF ABOUT 3.000.

ANOTHER REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN DIVORCES COULD BE THAT DIVORCED WOMEN NOWADAYS FIND IT EASIER TO REMARRY THAN BEFORE, MISS LO SAID.

OTHER MAJOR CAUSES OF FAMILY BREAK-UPS ARE +LACK OF GENUINE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PARTNERS, UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FROM ONE'S PARTNER, DIFFICULTIES WITH IN-LAWS, THE ENDLESS CHASE FOR MATERIAL COMFORTS AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH URBANISATION,+ MISS LO, WHO IS CASEWORK SUPERVISOR OF THE SWD'S TSUEN WAN FAMILY SERVICES CENTRE, SAID.

SHE EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ORDINANCE, A PARTY TO A MARRIAGE CAN PETITION FOR A DIVORCE ON GROUNDS OF ADULTERY, UNREASONABLE BEHAVIOUR, DESERTION FOR TWO YEARS AND SEPARATION FOR FIVE YEARS.

WHEN APPROACHED WITH A MARITAL PROBLEM, THE FIRST THING A FAMILY SERVICES CENTRE DOES IS TO INTRODUCE ITS PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING SERVICE.

+ALTHOUGH MANY COME WITH THEIR MINDS SEEMINGLY ALREADY MADE UP TO OBTAIN A DIVORCE, WE TRY TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY AND SEE THE IR PROBLEMS IN PERSPECTIVE. WE MAY SUGGEST SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE IR LIFESTYLE AND MODIFY SOME OF THEIR UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, MISS LO SAID.

IN URGENT CASES, SWD CASEWORKERS ALSO MAKE HOUSE CALLS. BUT SOME COUPLES PREFER TO GO TO THE CENTRES FOR GREATER PRIVACY.

THE SWD NOW HAS 19 FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, AND THREE MORE CENTRES ARE IN THEIR PLANNING STAGE. STAFFED BY 73 ASSISTANT SOCIAL WORK OFFICERS AND 32 SENIOR SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANTS, THE CENTRES HANDLED SOME 20 000 CASES LAST YEAR. HOWEVER, A SMALL NUMBER OF ABOUT 1 100 CASES INVOLVED MARITAL DISPUTES.

THE SWD ALSO OPERATES A COUNSELLING HOTLINE (NO. 3-432255).

MR ANTHONY CHAN, AN SWD STAFF OFFICER ON FAMILY SERVICES, SAID THAT MANY COUPLES NOW PREFER TO HAVE SMALL WEDDING PARTIES FOR CLOSE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, RATHER THAN THE MORE LAVISH FUNCTIONS HELD IN THE OLD DAYS+.

+MOST OF THEM WOULD PREFER TO GO FOR A HONEYMOON WITH THE MONEY SAVED, AND AN INCREASING NUMBER OF THEM ARE GETTING THEIR WAY, DESPITE THEIR PARENTS' OBJECTIONS,

HE SAID.

JUSTE KODIAN