Marriage & Divorce Flashcards
Statistics/Patterns on Marriage & Divorce
- fewer than 250,000 weddings in 2001 compared with 426,000 in 1972
- massive increase in marriage pre & post war
- general decline in marriage over time
- dramatic rise in divorce post 1971 (DR Act)
- remarriages on the rise
What are the 4 types of Marital Breakdown?
Divorce
Seperation
Desertion
Empty shell
What are the 9 Reasons for the increase in divorce?
Changes in the law
Declining in stigma and changing attitudes
Rising expectations of marriage
Changing role of women
Feminist explanations
Secularisation
Modernity & Individualisation
Increasing life expectancy
Contraception
Loss of functions
What are the 2 Key Laws involving divorce
1969 Divorce Reform Act (Irretrievable Breakdown)
- when either or both spouses are no longer to live with each other
- had to live apart for 2yrs minimum or 5yrs if one partner disagreed
2020 Divorce, Dissolution & Separation Act (No fault divorce)
- can get divorced in 20 weeks and no-one has to take the blame
What social factors make divorce more likely?
Poverty (WC or unemployed most likely)
Those who have previously been married
Those with parents who have been divorced
People without children
Ethnicity & Religion (South Asian least likely)
Age (Married under 22 most likely)
Explanations and Evidence to support why divorce rates have increased
- People now anticipate more from a partner
- Women are educated to higher levels and have more financial independence
- Women are more valued at work and are more confident rejecting marriage as a form of partiarchy
- Marriages are more of a practical commitment not a religious experience
- Marriage has become more normalised & accepted
- Longer lives means more time for problems & divorces to occur
- People now have more freedom of choice
- Contraception has allowed for infidelity & given women more control over their lives
- Marriage has become less of a necessity now
Statistics involving the increase in divorce
- 75% of petitions for divorce are made by women
- women working has increased by approx 20% in the last 50 years
- 65% of marriages no longer involve a religious ceremony
- 42% of all marriages end in divorce
Criticisms of the explanations for the rise in divorce
+ the media can put people off marriage at all
+ changing role of women only explains why wealthy women divorce
+ women are less likely to get married if they are not ‘satisfied’ in the first place
+ religion is still a big part of many people’s lives
+ single parents are still judged
+ many people are still financially trapped in marriages despite new laws
+ freedom to choose doesn’t apply to everyone
+ less people rush into marriage due to unexpected pregnancy
+ family still performs socialisation
What do Perspectives say about the rising divorce rate?
Func= reflects higher expectations not undermining of marriage
Fem= removes patriarchal relationships
NR= leads to more lone parents & ‘culture of dependency’
PostM= reflects family diversity and choice
Interact= can’t generalize meaning of relationships
PL= divorce has become more normalised and can create family issues but is not a major social issue
What are some of the positive consequences of divorce?
+ people can escape from abuse and unhappy marriages
+ can allow for better relationships with parents (Jenks)
+ laws provide freedom and choice for women
+ can create new ‘bi-nuclear’ family (Norwegian Study)
+ improved relationship with a new partner
+ may be less damaging for kids (Bernades)
+ bad for kids to see marriage as ‘cold’ or a ‘battlefield’ growing up (Behrman)
What are some negative consequences of divorce?
- children may struggle to adjust to new families (Cocket & Tripp)
- parents may become over-protective (Jenks)
- can affect children badly - ‘losing a limb’ (Leach)
- emotional turmoil
- ex-partners could abuse further (e.g stalking)
- assets are often split (both poorer)
- extra burden on single parents
- grandparents often lose out
