Divorce in the Works
“My husband is a sociopath, how can I escape this marriage?” asked one of the migrant spouses that attended our latest talk – Migrant Spouses Facing Divorce: Division of Property and Immigration. Being in an abusive relationship with her Singaporean husband had made her realised the limited legal knowledge she has of her rights as a woman and a wife: Will my Long Term Visit Pass be revoked if I file for divorce first? How do I request for a permanent pass to allow me to stay in Singapore longer so that I can take care of my Singaporean children? If not, can I leave for my birth country with my child without him knowing? – these are just some of the many questions that are on the minds of these women going through a rough time.
Navigating the emotional aspects of divorce is tough enough without the added strain of understanding the legal proceedings that follow. For some spouses, they have the added pressure of worrying about their immigration status once it untangles from the legal sanctity of their marriage. Through this talk, Maintenance Support Central (MSC) aimed to clear these doubts. It was an excellent opportunity to educate them on their rights even though they may not be Singapore citizens and provided a platform for them to ask their burning questions.
Ms Aishah Winter, our esteemed guest speaker, addressed the audience’s pressing questions using examples from her experience. She shared positive outcomes of previous cases that would ease the minds of those going through the same struggles. Her insight assuaged the worries of many women that feared their non-financial contributions would be disregarded as well. Vital information was shared on the various elements to consider when assessing contributions to a marriage, especially for those that have migrated for their spouse. These sacrifices, big or small, that we make in our daily lives for the benefit of our families are all taken into consideration during the division of assets. She highlighted numerous factors which many might overlook, such as the purchasing of groceries and the management of the household.
Not only did we learn a lot from her presentation but after speaking to members of the audience, we were able to gain some insight on other underlying issues that they were facing. This gives us more inspiration for future subjects of our talks. We hope you join us for the next one!
Stay Tuned for our next talk!
To receive updates on our upcoming talks, do let us know at mscentral@scwo.org.sg
