At the divorce
Woman demands compensation for 25 years of unpaid housework – and gets right
© Viacheslav Yakobchuk / Adobe Stock
For a long time, the classic role model stipulated that the woman had the man’s back and usually took care of the household and children alone – unpaid, of course. A woman from Spain is now demanding justice in the divorce. She demands compensation for her years of unpaid work – and is successful.
In Veléz-Málaga, a city in Spain, an unusual judgment is causing a stir. After 25 years, Ivana Moral and her husband divorce. During her marriage, the 48-year-old was solely responsible for the household and the children. She even cleaned for free in her husband’s gym. She is now demanding compensation for all the unpaid work: 200,000 euros in compensation.
She worked at least ten hours a day and received neither financial nor moral recognition. The verdict states: Ivana Moral was “deprived of any possible career due to her exclusive devotion to home and family,” quoted “Euronews”. In contrast, her husband “accumulated and exponentially increased his wealth over the course of the years of marriage.”
The judgment should also help other women
Moral’s lawyer Marta Fuentes emphasizes: The verdict should be exemplary “for all those women who are overshadowed by men who are advancing their careers” – and this is usually only possible because all other work is taken away from them.
The compensation of 200,000 euros is made up of the minimum wage in Spain for each year of marriage, according to the “Spiegel”. This is currently lower than in Germany, for the year 2020 it will cost around 1,050 euros per month. In addition to the one-time payment, she receives a monthly pension of 500 euros and 1,000 euros for the ex-husband’s two daughters.
While the man accumulates millions – she works unpaid
Various Spanish media reports that the man has accumulated quite a fortune with his fitness studios – there are around five million euros in the room. According to her own statements, Ivana Moral did not see much of the money during the marriage and sometimes had difficulties paying for the necessary school supplies for the daughters.
The mother of two said to the newspaper “Nius”: “The reason why I decided to speak to the media is that I wanted women to know that we have a right to our housework in a separation of property agreement,” quoted she the “Mercury”.
It is important to recognize unpaid work as well
This example clearly shows once again that we are still a long way from achieving equality between men and women. Compensation of 200,000 euros for 25 years of hard work is a victory for women’s rights, but a very small wage for years of toil.
Nevertheless, the verdict can encourage other women to stand up for themselves and what they have achieved. This doesn’t just apply to divorce. Couples who opt for the classic distribution of roles should talk about pension security – so that the partner who does not bring the most money home is also covered.
Sources used: merkur.de, euronews.com, europa.eu, spiegel.de