In 1985 the 1984 Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act became effective, this allowed couples to divorce after only one year of marriage. By this time many more women were independent and were working, which was a challenge to men who still expected women to be at home and doing housework. This helped to increase the number of divorces.
The expectation of more in marriages has been one major reason why a lot of couples file for a divorce. Writers such as Ronald Fletcher also see those higher divorce rates as expectations of increased and high standards of marriage. The main partner who seems too want a higher lifestyle is the woman instead of the man. So in effect women and not men today file three quarters of all divorces.
Since the divorce act, the reason for divorce did not have too be complicated. The reason could have been as simple as filing for a divorce because of a simple marriage breakdown. This simplicity in divorce caused a lot of couples to get a divorce quickly and easily without thourally thinking about it. This ease of divorce increased the divorce rate dramatically.
Since 1985 when the “1984 matrimonial and family proceedings act” was set, it meant people could get divorced after one year of marriage instead of the normal 3 years. This ease of divorce was commented on by a sociologist named, David Morgan who said “Divorce has become like foreign holidays – it is now available too increasingly large numbers of the population, not just he elite”. This statement being very true, as divorce is so easily available and the processes have become less difficult.
The breakdown of marriages is hard for all family’s. Some families find it hard to end marriages because of the effects it might have on children. So some people refuse to get a divorce but keep living together for the sake of the children.
Couples who get married before hey are twenty one have a higher chance of their marriage ending earlier, in fact its twice as likely for it too end. These young Marriages hardly ever last an end up in divorce because of the poor living conditions due to financial difficulties and early pregnancy causing instabilities within the family. And since families today expect good living conditions and good marriages not empty shell ones divorce seems to be an easy way out of hell as they might see it.
Failure of emotional support in families is another major reason why divorce happens within families. a family where the couples emotional ties are weak causes a negative atmosphere and tend too lead too divorce. This is supported by N. Dennis who says “western marriages are very fragile and are held together by strong emotions.” So not only physical implications are the cause for marital breakdown but also the emotional parts play a large role in this.
Divorce rates have however been proven hard to measure as rates fluctuate a lot. Some of this is to do with issues like couples breaking up but still living in the same household. William Goode suggests that divorce is only one way for society to deal with marital problems. In some countries like Ireland divorce is still seen as wrong and illegal. Divorce in Ireland can only take place if the couple can prove that the marriage never really happened. so comparing divorce rate of two countries like England (where divorce is legal) and Ireland were its illegal would not give you an accurate figure.
However the main reason for divorce still stand at the relaxation of divorce laws which entitles couples to easy divorces.
Explaining divorce rates is hard and quite complicated. As figures are always changing annually its difficult to get a pattern that can completely prove whether the rates are steady increasing or decreasing. This is due to new laws being introduced and the constant change of society’s expectations.