情人节后美国迎来离婚高峰

本应充满爱意和浪漫的情人节近几年却成为一年中的离婚高峰期。美国一家法律咨询网站对纽约、伊利诺伊和加利福尼亚三个州的离婚案件研究后发现，2月份是一年中离婚案件最多的月份，比其他几个月高出18%；情人节后找离婚律师咨询的人数增加了38%。该网站一位联合创建人表示，很多人一直都在考虑离婚的事情，犹豫到底要不要提出来。而在情人节那天，他们会对整件事做个分析判断。另外，他还指出，除情人节这个因素之外，2月份还有一些其他因素导致离婚率上升。1月是一年中申请破产案件数量最多的月份，由此凸显了家庭中的财务问题，并导致夫妻分离。另外，2月份寒冷的天气让伴侣们待在家中的时间增多，共处的时间太多也会让两人间的矛盾更加突出。

Valentine's Day is supposed to be about love and romance. But unfortunately, it can be just the opposite.

Because of that, Feb. 15 starts the busy season for divorce lawyers, as people who were unhappy with their marriages heading into the day often decide that they no longer want to be with the one they used to love.

A study of divorce filings in New York, Illinois and California by AttorneyFee.com, a legal referral site, found that February is the busiest month of the year for divorce filings, up about 18% from the average month. And those seeking referrals for a divorce lawyer on the site increase 38% following the holiday, with the biggest spike on the day after Valentine's.

Another legal site, Avvo.com, reports a 40% increase in those seeking information and advice about divorce in the period right after Valentine's Day.

"There's a very large number of people who are considering the divorce all the time, deciding whether or not to file," said Richard Komaiko, a co-founder of AttorneyFee. "On Valentine's Day, they take stock of things."

Komaiko said February has factors other than the holiday that could lead to an increase in divorces. January is the busiest month of the year for bankruptcy filings, highlighting the financial problems that often divide couples. In addition, the cold weather of February can keep couples that are having trouble indoors and closer to each other, adding to problems.

But Alton Abramowitz, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, believes the holiday itself often brings things to a head for couples who are having trouble.

"There's always the clients who come in a day or two after saying 'I can't believe it, I made this beautiful dinner for my husband for Valentine's Day, he called to say he was stuck in the office and then didn't come home at all."

Abramowitz said for a person who is being unfaithful to a spouse, the day can create problems that lead to them finally getting caught.

"The person who is cheating is caught in the middle; they have to satisfy the spouse and their lover, and more often than not that's an impossible feat to achieve," he said.