reasons for increase in divorce

Question 1

divorce

Answer 1

the legal termination of a marriage

Question 2

what is the general trend in divorce?

Answer 2

general increase since 1970s

Question 3

give the name of the acts that occurred in:
1969, 1973, 1984, 2013, 2014, 2020

Answer 3

1969: divorce reform act
1973: matrimonial causes act
1984: matrimonial and family proceedings act
2013: same sex marriage act
2014: children and families act
2020: divorce, dissolution and separation act

Question 4

what did the 1973 matrimonial causes act cause in divorce?

Answer 4

equalised the grounds for divorce between the sexes as both partners could petition for divorce

Question 5

what did the 1969 divorce reform act cause in divorce?

Answer 5

widened the grounds for divorce, as irretrievable breakdown which was added for grounds for divorce

Question 6

what did the legal aid act 1994 cause in divorce?

Answer 6

divorce was made more accessible as allowed people financially struggling to get a divorce

Question 7

what did the divorce dissolution and separation act 2020 cause in divorce

Answer 7

removed unnecessary conflict and allowed one partner to state it wasn’t working (e.g. helped sexual abuse victims)
minimum wait from application to a divorce was reduced to 20 weeks

Question 8

what are the 3 other solutions to the problem of unhappy marriage that aren’t divorce?

Answer 8

dissertation: where one partner leaves the other but they remain legally married
legal separation: where a court separates the financial and legal affairs of the couple but they remain married and are not free to re-marry
empty shell marriage: where the couple continue to live under the same roof but remain marred in name only

Question 9

briefly explain how the decline in stigma and changing attitudes have caused an increase in divorce (include Mitchell & Goody)

Answer 9

Mitchell and Goody note there has been a rapid decline in stigma attached to divorce since the 1960s, meaning divorce has become more acceptable.

Question 10

stigma

Answer 10

the negative label, social disapproval or shame attached to a person, action, or relationship.

Question 11

give an example of divorce stigma declining

Answer 11

divorce parties

Question 12

briefly explain how Beck and Giddens postmodernist theory of modernity and individualisation link to how the decline in stigma has made divorce more acceptable

Answer 12

argue traditional norms such as the duty to remain with the same partner for life, loose their hold over individuals. their individualisation thesis suggested that each partner would be free to pursue his/herself interest beyond a marriage that no longer satisfied their self fulfilment. therefore they think that people now seek a pure relationship (one that focuses solely to satisfy each partner’s needs) which has caused higher divorce rates.

Question 13

secularisation on divorce increasing

Answer 13

refers to the decline in the influence of religion in society
- society has become more secular as it less embedded into society that we should stay in an unhappy marriage and less influence of vows

Question 14

rising expectations of marriage causing divorce

Answer 14

due to media influences of perfect love
Fletcher (func) argue people now view relationships for personal fulfilment and encourages divorce if they can’t find it

Question 15

women’s increased financial independence
- including Allan and Crow

Answer 15

less financially dependent on men due to:
in 2023 72% women in paid work
equal pay act 1970 & equality act 2010
availability of welfare benefits to support women

A&C: marriage is less embedded within the economic system and family is no longer a unit of production so spouses aren’t economically dependent on each other

Question 16

feminist explanations of increase in divorce

Answer 16

women bear a dual burden creating conflict between partners

Hochschild: women feel more valued at work than at home with men continuing to resist doing housework causing frustration

Sigle-Rushton: working mothers more likely to petition for divorce than women in relationship with a traditional division of labour

eval: Cooke & Gash found no evidence working mothers are mote likely to petition for divorce as they argue it has now become an accepted norm for women