Rise in Divorce Cases After Wives Become Civil Servants, Says IPB University Expert
Dr Tin Herawati, an expert in Family Studies at IPB University, expressed her concern over the rise in divorce cases in Indonesia, particularly those occurring shortly after wives are appointed as civil servants (PNS) or government employees with work agreements (PPPK).
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in 2024, out of 1.478.302 marriages, there were 394.608 divorce cases, meaning 26,7% of families experienced divorce. The majority of divorce filings were initiated by wives (divorce lawsuits) at 308.956 cases (78,3%), with the remainder filed by husbands.
“If divorce filings among Civil Servants (ASN) surge in 2025, the likelihood of divorce filings will increase compared to previous years,” said Dr Tin.
Dr Tin regretted this phenomenon because being appointed as an ASN should be a joyful moment bringing new hope for the family.
“The new hope for achieving family stability should be an important foundation for strengthening family quality. However, it is ironic that as families begin to show signs of stability, the family becomes strained and divorce filings increase,” she added.
According to Dr Tin, being appointed as a ASN brings drastic changes in identity for wives, such as improved social status, a good career, and independence. However, there are changes in family relationships and situations.
“Before being appointed as a Civil Servants, time, attention, and energy were prioritized for the family. But after being appointed, the situation begins to change as time is divided between official duties, training, new social circles, and professional demands,” she said.
These changes become problematic if not balanced, meaning more focus is placed on work than on the family. This can lead to dissatisfaction and unhappiness in family life, ultimately resulting in divorce.
Dr Tin explained that from reviewing several research findings, it was found that there are several causes of divorce. Some of these include constant conflicts that remain unresolved and husbands who are irresponsible. “This is the most common response from wives,” she said.
Additionally, husbands neglect their duties and fail to take on any role, and in some cases, husbands abandon their wives. The research also revealed that husbands are economically irresponsible due to unemployment and fail to seek employment.
“Other causes include domestic violence by the husband, moral crises such as online gambling, alcohol abuse, the presence of a third party, the husband practicing polygamy, and the husband committing criminal acts,” She elaborated.
For young couples where both spouses work, open communication is a crucial foundation. Dr Tin urged each couple to maintain quality family interactions and share responsibilities between husband and wife. For working wives, she suggested maintaining a balance between family matters and work.
“No matter how large the salary or how high the position in the workplace, a wife must still be able to fulfill her role and function well in family life,” she added.
Dr Tin emphasizes the need for education on balancing work and family, sharing roles between husband and wife, family resource management, and parenting classes for working couples. (dh) (IAAS/STD)
