Marital breakdown, not divorce damages children - Moviment Iva

A meeting with Commissioner for Children Helen D'Amato and the pro divorce movement Iva had to be cancelled today after D'Amato was hospitalised, according to her office.

Speaking outside the commission's office today, Deborah Schembri quoted the Emery study that had been misinterpreted by D'Amato, and  which concluded that children are at risk not at a divorce stage, but at a separation stage which is when conflict between the spouses is usually at its worst.

“Divorce is merely a factual announcement of something that is already taken place – the separation of the family. The true danger comes when the breakdown is actually happening,” she said, “usually at separation stage if not before.”

She said that studies showed that it is this parental conflict that is the leading factor in the wellbeing or harm of children, and that the quality of the relationship has a bigger factor than either separation or divorce.

“It is very important that we do not create additional reasons for conflict between spouses where we do not need them,” Schembri said – referring to the anti-divorce lobby’s calls for a fault-based divorce.

Reiterating that children are at the heart of the pro-divorce campaign, Schembri added that the divorce draft bill has many considerations which protect the interests of children.

Among these is the extension of maintenance to the age of 23 for those offspring who pursue their studies, she said.

Also speaking during the press conference, former PN minister Michael Falzon wished Helen D’Amato a speedy recovery, and said that the Moviment Iva would be attempting to meet with her before the day of the referendum.

He however condemned without reservation statements she made last week where she misrepresented the Emery study and cast its conclusions in a light that suggested that divorce has a negative impact on children.

“We are not criticising Ms D’Amato on a personal level,” he stressed, “but the institution of the Commissioner for Children which has been used to push a misleading campaign message.”

Given how the Commissioner for Children is a public official and is paid through public funds, Falzon said this is “unacceptable.”

Falzon also quoted excerpts from the study, pointing out how its conclusions clearly state that divorce is no more harmful on children than separation, and that it concluded that children who experience divorce are no more at risk than children who do not.

“The fact that there have already been two calls in the media for her resignation following her comments underlines the seriousness of the situation,” he said.

Asked by the media if the Moviment Iva is also calling for her resignation, he said that the condemnation “is enough on our part” and insisted that the lobby is “not looking for a pound of flesh.”