Après le divorce : décryptage des conséquences économiques | RTS

Après le divorce : conséquences économiques (Switzerland)

Main findings and statistics

• 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.

Main causes of the economic imbalance

• 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%).

Practical consequences (anecdotes)

• 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).

Proposed solutions and practical advice (from the video)

• 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.

Takeaways

• 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.

Notable institutions, speakers and figures

• 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