Man Ordered to Pay Ex-Wife Over 2 Billion VND for 26 Years of Housework
Image: Marek Studzinski/Bapt
A recent ruling by a court in Pontevedra, Spain, has ordered a man to pay his ex-wife 88,025 euros (over 2 billion VND) for the 26 years she spent doing housework during their marriage.
The anonymous couple got married in 1996, and until their separation in 2022, the wife only spent a total of 205 days working outside the home. She dedicated most of her time to domestic chores and raising their only daughter.
After the separation, the husband continued to live in the house they had previously bought, while the wife had to rent her own place. She had to quickly find work to support herself, but due to her 26 years as a homemaker, she could only receive a minimal allowance, unlike her husband who had a stable career. Currently, the woman is seeking compensation for all the years she spent doing housework.
Initially, the court ruled that the husband should pay his ex-wife 120,000 euros (over 3 billion VND), but both parties appealed the decision. The husband agreed to cover all expenses related to the wife’s housework during their marriage but wanted to reduce the amount by 60,000 euros (around 1.6 billion VND). On the other hand, the wife requested an increase in compensation to 183,629.36 euros (almost 5 billion VND), arguing that she had dedicated herself fully to taking care of the household and raising their daughter.
According to the wife, before getting married, she worked from 1989 to 1997, after which she became a homemaker while the husband continued to work and financially support the family. The economic imbalance after the marriage ended has caused significant damage to her, as she had to find manual labor to support herself, leaving no time for other career aspirations.
The husband, however, opposed this claim, stating that his ex-wife currently has a job to support herself without the responsibility of taking care of their daughter since she is legally an adult and does not live with her mother. He also argued that both parties contributed to the marriage, and it would be unfair to treat one of them as a full-time employee deserving of remuneration.
The Provincial Court of Pontevedra ruled that the initial compensation of 120,000 euros (over 3 billion VND) be reduced to 88,025 euros (over 2 billion VND), and the ex-husband would also have to pay his ex-wife a monthly allowance of 350 euros (over 9 million VND) for three years. Either party can appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.
Similar cases have become increasingly common in recent years. In 2023, another court in Spain ordered a man to compensate his ex-wife with 204,000 euros (5.4 billion VND) for 25 years of housework. In 2021, a man in Portugal was required to pay his ex-wife 60,000 euros (over 1.6 billion VND) for doing all the household chores during their 30-year marriage.
These cases highlight the growing recognition of the contributions made by homemakers during a marriage and the need to address the financial consequences that often follow a divorce.
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