divorce

Question 1

what is the motherhood penalty?

Answer 1

maternity leave accounts for less pensions in later life, this may explain why women over 60 initiate divorce

Question 2

divorce statistics

Answer 2

• 7/10 divorces are petitioned by women
• 6% of marriages reach their 60th anniversary (2013)
• 60% of marriages reach their 20th anniversary

Question 3

different sociological views on divorce: Functionalist Ronald Fletcher (1996)

Answer 3

people have higher expectations from marriage and demand love from it now

Question 4

different sociological views on divorce: Postmodernists Juliet Mitchell + Jack Goody (1997)

Answer 4

less stigma is attatched to divorce, it is now normalised in society

Question 5

different sociological views on divorce: Feminist Jessie Bernard (1976)

Answer 5

women’s experience is now liberalised and they grow frustrated with partners and marriage

Question 6

different sociological views on divorce: Postmodernists Allen + Crow (2001)

Answer 6

love and personal satisfaction are key to successful marriage, when they are gone, divorce is inveitable

Question 7

the divorce acts throughout the years

Answer 7

• pre 1857- divorce was only availible as an act of parliament
• from 1857- new divorce court, but double standards for men and women
• 1923- women on equal footing with men- adultery was the only grounds though
• 1937- other grounds were included such as desertion, cruelty, unsound mind
• 1949-50- legal aid gave assistance to those who couldn’t afford to go to court
• 1970- Divorce Reform Act- irretrievable breakdown of the marriage was added, which means the ‘guilty party’ was no longer needed
• 1985- the time limit for divorce was reduced from 3 years to 1
• 1998- family law bill was introduced which required couples to have a period of reflection
• 2022- no fault divorce, either party can apply for divorce, online and no lawyers/solicitors are required. divorce can take 26 weeks