All they are left with is the last vestige of femininity in their role as mothers. Abdicating this amounts to self-negation and may even become a social stigma. But those of us who run counselling centres, need to re-examine our own traditional notions of motherhood. In most cases, husbands are left free of all responsibilities. Even meagre maintenance orders to ensure financial support for women cannot be enforced.
Divorce ends up in the feminisation of poverty.
Many women are left to struggle for basic survival in abject poverty. In many situations, the natal family views them with scorn. There is no space for women, leave alone their children. In such situations, the children and women themselves may be better off if the husbands are left with the responsibility of raising the children. This strategy will work only if women are assured of regular access to their children in order to oversee their well being.