In the midst of the recent breakup of Hollywood “it” couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, there has been wild speculation about the reasons behind their divorce. What is it that causes couples to divorce? A recent study probed into the reasons why approximately 50% of marriages today end in divorce.
It turns out the in two thirds of divorces, women are the first to file for the divorce. This could be because of the changing roles of men and women in today’s marriages, perhaps leading to unhappiness on the part of women. While women are more likely to be the one to file for divorce, that doesn’t mean they are the only unhappy ones in failed marriages. It could be that now that women have a larger role in marriage and in society, they feel more comfortable taking the first step to exit an unhappy relationship.
When 246 couples in a study were polled on the reasons their marriages ended, infidelity, incompatibility, and drinking or drug use were the top three reasons cited. These issues don’t seem to have anything to do with gender roles, but further research has found that couples who stray from traditional gender roles did have a higher chance of divorce. Couples in which the man was unemployed were one third more likely to end in divorce, and couples in which the woman worked were also more likely to split. The American Journal of Sociology states that it isn’t the change in gender roles that leads to a divorce, but the freedom given by that change. If a woman is more able to support herself rather than rely on a man for his income, she is more likely to leave an unhappy relationship, whatever their reasons may be.
While the change in gender roles in relationships hasn’t changed the reasons couples divorce, it has changed the rate at which women file for divorce. This increase in power for women in their marriages gives them to power to leave an unsuitable marriage in hopes of finding a happier life. For those in the Fort Lauderdale area seeking help in their marriage, The Law Offices of Ben I. Farbstein, P.A. offer services in divorce lawyers, mediation, family law, and many more. If you or someone you know has found yourself in a similar legal situation requiring assistance, please call our firm at (954) 962-590.
