Though most of them face tremendous difficulties in life, divorce mothers in Taiwan feel much happier after becoming single again, according to a new poll released yesterday.
Women's service groups carried out the survey of 192 divorced mothers.
The results show that more than half of the respondents feel that they are living a happier life than when they were married.
And more than 80 percent of the respondents said that they in no way regret deciding to become single.
The findings are in stark contrast with mothers' complaints about other real life problems, such as the financial difficulties and the social stigma attached to single moms.
Lo Chung-yu (羅瓊玉), general-director of the Warm Life Association for Women (晚晴協會), expressed the view that even though the poll showed that more than 50 percent of single mothers feel happier than before, it does not mean that most of them like and choose to become single parents.
"The reactions very much depend upon their past experiences during their marital relationship," Lo said.
"In fact, discrimination against single mothers still prevails in this society and some women don't dare admit they're single moms."
According to the survey, taken between Feb. 26 and March 4, financial difficulties are the most serious problem facing single mothers, particularly among the 30- to 39-year-old age group.
Other issues that worry single mothers include the education of children, adjustment to a new life on their own and social discrimination against single moms, the poll showed.
Notably, most of the respondents think traditional mores on gender are a major reason for the difficulties they face.
Tina Pan (潘維剛), a KMT legislator and also chairwoman of the Modern Women's Foundation (現代婦女基金會), said four out of 100 families in Taiwan are single-parent families, and that there are more single mothers than single fathers.
She said that her foundation and others hope that the results of the survey will call public attention to the difficulties of single mothers, a segment of the population that is steadily growing.
The study also indicated that most single mothers are in financial distress, with nearly 50 percent of them looking for employment.
Funding for education and housing are also in noticeably short supply, and younger single mothers seek assistance from social welfare organizations more often than their older counterparts.
Surprisingly, the poll results also show that single moms get more help from neighbors and friends than they do from their own families and relatives.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week. Although there has been no formal change to the Philippines’ diplomatic stance on recognizing Taiwan, Manila is increasingly concerned about Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea, the report said. The number of Chinese vessels in the seas around the Philippines, as well as Chinese
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
RSS