Divorces in Colombia have increased by 26.2% in the first half of 2012 in comparison to the same period the year before, reported local media Wednesday.
The Superintendency of Notaries and Registry reported that a total of 8,694 couples got divorced in the country in the first six months of year, 26.2% more than the 6,889 registered in the same period of 2011.
According to superintendent Jorge Enrique Velez Garcia, the figure was obtained from information provided by the 872 notaries that function in the country.
Colombia’s capital Bogota registered 25.27% of divorces with 2,197 cases just on its own, while there were 694 divorces in Cali, 674 in Medellin, 539 in Bucaramanga, and 275 in Barranquilla.
“Last year there was a total of 15,326 divorces reported,” said Velez, who also explained that his entity was unaware of the reasons that brought the couples to separate because, “In 95 percent of cases the divorces are of mutual agreement. They practically arrive with the document ready.”
Martha Lucia Palacio, a psychologist and family therapist, said that she believes divorces are increasing because today couples don’t resign themselves to living unsatisfactory lives. This occurred more often in times when separation was unthinkable because of the necessity to conserve the institution of marriage. She also added that separation procedures are much easier in recent times.