The Hsinchu District Court has ruled in favor of a man seeking a divorce from his wife of 10 years after a judge ruled that the wife’s psychological problems had been a source of torment for the husband.
The man, surnamed Lin (林), said that his wife believed people were “conspiring against her,” had changed her mobile phone number numerous times thinking people were eavesdropping on her conversations, believed that Lin’s sister had put a curse on her and started putting household items in the fridge for no reason.
The wife’s abnormal behavior began after the couple had two children, Lin said.
Photo: Tsai Chang-sheng, Taipei Times
She began accusing him of looking at her private mail, that family members were touching her things and that Lin’s younger sister was putting curses on her, he said.
The behavior had caused his wife to become estranged from other members of the family, he added.
The wife’s behavior gradually worsened, Lin said, and she accused neighbors and temple workers of wanting to cause her harm.
She also began suspecting that people were breaking into the couple’s home to poison the food or place objects that would harm them, he said, adding that she would frequently throw out toothpaste and replace it.
Her health was affected when she refused to eat with the family and began suspecting that nearby lunchbox shops wanted to poison her, he said.
The wife eventually began covering the television, electric fans and other appliances with plastic bags, claiming they were being used to spy on her, he said, adding that she stocked up on “holy water,” and demanded that the family use it for bathing and washing clothes.
He decided to file for divorce after the wife began taking the children out and not returning, and tried to stop them attending classes, Lin said.
Speaking in her defense, the wife said that the children had put items in the fridge for a school experiment and that the holy water she collected was for her sister, who had been attending a lot of funerals.
Her mental health had improved greatly, she said, adding that her husband wanted to “demonize” her.
Lin’s mother also testified, saying that the wife had not cooked or cleaned for the family during 10 years of marriage, and had accumulated debts and left to live elsewhere last year without explanation.
The judge said that the statements from Lin and his mother had been corroborated by social workers.
The wife had exhibited inappropriate behavior toward both her children and her husband, the judge said, ruling in favor of the husband’s request for a divorce.
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