Divorce

Divorce

Increase in divorce rates
1. In the late 1960's, divorce rates started to increase
2. Why the following might lead to an increase in divorce rates?
  1. Changes in law
    1. Makes it more legally accepted
  2. Wider availability of contraception
    1. Makes it more acceptable to have sex outside of marriage
  3. Reduced functions of the family
    1. They feel because divorce is more accepted it is the best solution
  4. Increased life expectancy
    1. Too much commitment for such a long time
    2. Allows more time for things to go wrong
  5. Welfare state
    1. More people feel they'd find a way to cope outside of marriage
    2. More support
  6. Secularization
    1. Less religious views mean there isn't any need to follow the religious traditions
  7. Changing roles and attitudes of women
    1. Women take control if they are not happy
    2. More financially dependant
  8. Privatized nuclear family
    1. Limited advice/ sanctuary
  9. Changing social attitudes and reduced social stigma
3. Reasons for the divorce increase:
  1. More socially acceptable
  2. More widely available
  3. Women now have a say in divorce
  4. Secularization
  5. Cheaper
  6. Change in laws
Why divorce rates have recently started to decline
1. Taking longer to get married
2. Expense
3. Increased internal support
4. Cohabitation
5. Educated- less younger people getting married
6. Feel more secure
7. More equality between men and womer
8. Less financial stress to worry about
Definitions
1. Divorce:
  1. The legal termination of a marriage
2. Seperation:
  1. The legal couple end their marriage, move to seperate residences BUT remain legally married
  2. Some couples may obtain seperation orders
3. Empty shell marriages:
  1. The couple live together but marriage exists in name only
Society's view on divorce
1. New right:
  1. Patricia Morgan 1999- 'Large numbers of fatherless youths represents a high risk factor for crime'
  2. Undermines the traditional nuclear family. Creates an underclass of welfare dependent female lone parents and leaves boys without the adult male role model they need.
2. Feminism:
  1. High divorce rates are desirable - indicate a step towards equality. Women who have freedom to choose. Alternatives form of a family in which women are free from male domination.
3. Marxism:
  1. Rodgers and Pryor 1998- 'Children of divorces or seperated parents have a higher probability of experiencing a range of problems such as poverty, poor housing, teenage pregnancy and educational underachievement.'
  2. Mavis Hetherington 2002- '3 of 4 children experience long term damage from divorce. 25% have serious emotional or social problems compared with 10% from families who don't experience divorce.'

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