Divorce applications have hit a record high.
A new Courts Service report shows almost 6,000 applications were filed last year, up 11% on 2020.
The report also details high levels of domestic violence and a rising number of serious sexual offence trials.
Clinical Psychologist and Author Dr. Malie Coyne says divorce rule changes influenced the rising number of applications:
"The rule for living apart has changed from being from living apart for four years to two years, which means that there was a lot a lot of people who suddenly became eligible for divorce in 2020 that weren't otherwise eligible following the changing of this ruling. So that has that impacted and that made that number increase."
