If you guessed that women file for divorce more often than men, then you are correct. Women file the majority of divorces here in the United States. Women initiate a staggering 70% of divorces. That number skyrockets to 90% when they are college-educated. In the UK, the figure is still high—but not as high: 62%. In the United States as in the UK, no-fault divorces are legal.
One of the main connecting factors that predicts this trend is women’s liberation in Western democracies. With the advent of women’s liberation, the entry of women into the workforce, and the prominence of women in high-paying executive positions, women are now more financially independent than ever. However, that factor alone does not account for the massive uptick in wife-initiated divorces. There are many factors that play a prominent role in predicting why women specifically will initiate divorces with more frequency than men, which we will explore below.
Men Go to Pieces After a Divorce
Another study (not connected to the first) predicts that men are more likely to suffer emotional distress, psychiatric problems, depression, alcoholism, and more directly following a marriage than their female partners are. This is related to a number of issues, but women tend to be more social than men during their marriage. Men tend to rely on their partners for socialization more often. In other words, men are more likely to get dragged to social events because their wives want to go. When the marriage falls off, the social connections do, as well, leaving men isolated with few friends to lean on while they are having difficulty. This results in social isolation, which compounds emotional distress and is a major predictor of substance abuse.
Further, when a marriage fails, women do not tend to blame themselves even if they played a major role in it. Men, on the other hand, tend to define themselves in terms of their families. When a marriage fails, a husband may feel as though he failed his family, and this compounds feelings of shame and guilt.
Women, on the other hand, are more likely to pursue divorce because they are not financially dependent on their husbands. The husbands, on the other hand, are less likely to pursue the divorce because they are more socially dependent on their wives and tend to personalize their family status and their role as a family man and provider.
Lastly, those who have close friends going through a divorce are more likely to initiate divorces of their own. Since more women are getting divorced, more close friends of women are considering divorce.
Before you start worrying about the state of your marriage, you should know that divorce rates are not as high as they once were, and the majority of divorces today are being filed by those who are age 55 and over.
Talk to a Chicago Divorce Attorney Today
If you need representation for a divorce or child support matter in Cook County, Glasgow & Olsson is here to help. When you need an attorney, experience matters. Contact us today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.