Many people need to work to help support their families, which makes caring for children difficult.
A survey of 271 single mothers, reported by China Women’s News, found that 59.4% had never received child support from their ex-husbands, and when they did, the amount was often lower than what the court had ordered.
In these situations, non-marital relationships are seen as a solution for many single mothers, where one partner can work to earn an income and the other can take care of the children and household chores.
This placement is sometimes depicted as a symbol of feminine independence.
A tale of two women
But it doesn’t always work.
This is the case of a partnership between a woman from southern China’s Guangdong province, who uses the pseudonym “Lin Jingwen,” and another woman from eastern China’s Shandong province, who calls herself “Chen Xiaoli.”
Their partnership lasted just 108 days.
Lin became a single mother in 2022 after an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 35. Her boyfriend suggested she have an abortion.
Because of the time and energy she devoted to raising her child, Lin faced serious financial difficulties and was forced to quit her job, sell her house and live off the money she saved.
Last September, she placed an ad seeking a “divorce partner,” which caught Mr Chen’s interest.
They established a division of labor: Cheng looked after the children and Lin was freed from household chores so she could work.
But by this year’s Chinese New Year, they had broken up.
Lin said the “breakup” was mainly due to the challenges of looking after her young children and not being able to earn enough money to support the whole family.
Desperate to boost his income, he was inspired by night market vendors to set up a food stall, but within a month he had lost 3,000 yuan (US$400) and the partnership was dissolved.
Pros and Cons
The positive aspects of such partnerships include children playing together and mothers sharing meal preparation duties.
Many online observers also believe this is a win-win situation, posting comments such as: “Life is so much better without that pesky man and with a strong helper in his place.”
But Chen Yijun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, warns that poor single mothers, especially in urban areas, are actually a new vulnerable group.
“Especially the less educated and unskilled women who were totally dependent on their husbands before the divorce. Their economic independence is very low and it is extremely difficult for them to make a living after divorce,” she said.
Furthermore, “partner families” are not legally protected under China’s current family law.
Many scholars who study “partnership for elderly care” point out that cohabitation without marriage can lead to property disputes and infringement of rights.
