A man is having sleepless nights because his wife has moved out of the matrimonial home and has decided not to return.

According to the man, he and his wife have been married for five years but, over the last two years, they had frequent quarrels because she was verbally abusive to him.

"Sometimes, for no reason, my wife begins to curse me most disgracefully," he said.

"If I run a little joke with her, she curses bad words and leaves the home for the night. I just could not understand the reason for her behaviour until one night, after she cursed me, a friend took me to the home where she went to sleep.

"Well, to my surprise, my wife was sleeping at the house of her former boyfriend. When I knocked on the door, she looked through the window and began cursing me.

"I told her I did not come there to quarrel but just wanted to prove that she was unfaithful to me. She shouted that she was no longer interested in me and I should go and find a woman for myself. She said she made a big mistake when she married me. She moved her belongings from my house the next day and has not returned.

"I was extremely hurt and embarrassed by what my wife said and also by her behaviour. The incident happened six months ago and, since that time, I have only sleepless nights because I really love my wife. She told me recently that she wanted a divorce, but I don't plan to divorce her. Do you think she can get a divorce on her own?"

You said you do not plan to divorce your wife, but she can get a divorce on her own. However, she will have to wait a year after the separation before she can file for divorce.

Section 5(2) of the Matrimonial Causes Act states, in part, that a divorce will be be granted "only if, the court is satisfied that the parties separated and, thereafter, lived separately and apart for a continuous period of not less than 12 months immediately preceding the date of filing of the petition for that decree."