On behalf of The Marks Law Firm, L.L.C posted in Family Law on Monday, September 27, 2010
Marriages are put to the test during difficult times, and relationships in Louisiana were no exception after Hurricane Katrina swept through the region leaving devastation and heartbreak in its path. Numerous studies produced almost every statistic imaginable including the number of people who died in the tragedy, the number of homes that were destroyed, the amount of water that swept through certain areas, the amount of sand that was lifted off of the beaches and seemingly endless more.
However, few of these studies focused on the effects that the hurricane had on relationships. iReport.com conducted a study that looked at the impact Katrina had on individual relationships, and the results were hard to hear. One outreach worker for the Volunteers of America said that couples are more argumentative, the instances of domestic violence have risen and the suicide rate is abnormally high. The study also found that many relationships have ended in divorce as a result of Katrina induced stressors.
One man shared his heartbreaking story with the press. He explained how the hurricane destroyed his family home forcing the five members into a cramped FEMA trailer, caused him to lose his job, gave him a stress-related heart attack and even caused his wife to seriously contemplate divorce.
While the man is sincerely grateful for all of the aid and assistance FEMA and many others have given his family, he admits that the situation he finds himself in is simply unsuitable for raising his children. He does not blame his wife for her feelings as he remembered how they were a happy couple who never fought or argued before the storm ravaged their community. The two have tried counseling and prayer, but the husband hopes that using their very limited funds to fix a portion of their home will also help them fix some of the problems in their relationship.
Source: CNN “Divorce stalks Katrina survivors” Sean Callebs 8/29/10