Barcelona, Spain

A Spanish court ordered a man to pay his ex-wife $218,000 as compensation for her 25 years of "unpaid domestic labour" while they were married. According to the New York Post, the substantial divorce settlement was determined using the yearly minimum salary over the course of the couple's marriage.

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Ivana Moral, the wife, received the compensation, which judge Laura Ruiz Alaminos estimated in recognition of her 25 years of married service. In 2020, the couple divorced. The man must now pay the wife $527 in alimony each month, as well as $422 and $633 each for the couple's two kids, who are now 20 and 14, reported NYP. 

The report quotes Moral as saying that she and their daughters were "left with nothing" when the couple split, sharing her struggles. "Clearly this was a case of abuse to be completely excluded financially (by her ex-husband) with nothing left after my marriage ended," Moral said, adding that despite investing all of her "time, energy, and love" in the family, she and their daughters were left with "nothing".

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Moral said that she was hardly involved in financial matters and was restricted to managing the family's household chores. 

“I was supporting my husband in his work…did not have access to his financial affairs; everything was in his name,” she said.

She continued that she had been bound by a "separation of goods agreement" at the time of their marriage, allowing the husband to retain his wealth and divide their shared assets.

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In the Velez-Malaga court hearing in southern Spain, it was revealed that the husband—who is unnamed in the lawsuit—reportedly has a lucrative gym company and a number of high-end assets worth $6.4 million.

Moral expressed her hope that this case will serve as an encouragement to other women and serve as an example of how "we may claim for housekeeping" in spite of such (division of commodities) agreements.

(With inputs from agencies)

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