Summary of "Après le divorce : décryptage des conséquences économiques | RTS"

Après le divorce : conséquences économiques (Switzerland)

Divorce is increasingly common in Switzerland — about 2 out of 5 married couples (roughly double the 1970s rate).
Research (Bern University of Applied Sciences, DO Kessler) finds divorce disproportionately reduces women’s income:
- Mothers with minor children: average income drop ≈ 38% in the years after separation.
- Women without children: ≈ 28% income drop.
- Men: almost no change on average (≈ −5% for men without children, ≈ −3% for fathers).
Maintenance/child support does not fully offset women’s losses:
- ~75% of divorced mothers receive support two years after divorce, yet many still lose significant income.
Social assistance:
- ~1 in 10 divorced mothers receive social assistance after separation versus ~1 in 30 men.

Mothers with minor children experience the largest average income drop — about 38% — showing a pronounced gendered economic impact of divorce.

Loss of the partner’s main income when couples split (men are more often the full-time earners).
Primary custody and childcare responsibilities frequently fall to women, increasing expenses and reducing work capacity.
Men tend to enter new relationships sooner, allowing them to regain shared household income faster.
Traditional role distribution before separation: men working full-time (90–100%), women often part-time (frequently ≤50%).

Financial strain and debts are common:
- Example: a 56-year-old community health and care assistant (Julien Dura) reported monthly deficits and large personal debts in the tens of thousands of CHF, including heavy legal fees.
Some remain financially independent but still face higher costs:
- Example: a 40-year-old humanitarian worker in Vaud (Pauline de Asre) stayed independent but reported a ~39% rise in household expenses after divorce and substantial one-off costs (about 15,000 CHF in legal fees).

Preserve economic independence when children arrive:
- Avoid dividing household tasks in a way that leaves one partner (typically the woman) economically dependent.
System-level reforms recommended:
- Ensure paternity leave is at least equivalent to maternity leave.
- Provide sufficient, affordable childcare so lower earners are not forced out of paid work.
Within couples:
- Plan and negotiate finances proactively (budgeting, shared-cost agreements) to reduce the financial shock of separation.
Practical budgeting tip from interviewees:
- Prepare monthly payment lists and track expenses strictly after separation to manage tighter budgets.

Divorce imposes clear emotional and societal costs and creates measurable economic inequality, affecting mothers most severely.
Legal and administrative costs plus higher post-separation living expenses (duplicated housing, childcare, insurance) aggravate the financial impact.
Policy and cultural shifts — parental leave parity, improved childcare access, and encouraging dual economic participation — are highlighted as ways to reduce post-divorce economic vulnerability.

Institution: Bern University of Applied Sciences — Social Work department
Researcher: DO Kessler (study on economic consequences of divorce)
Interviewees: Julien Dura (56, community health and care assistant), Pauline de Asre (40, humanitarian worker)
Locations mentioned: Switzerland (general), Cran in the canton of Vaud
Money amounts referenced (examples): income-drop percentages, ~15,000 CHF legal fees, personal debts reported in the tens of thousands CHF