On behalf of Ronald H. Kauffman, P.A. posted in Divorce on Sunday, July 20, 2014.
Since the 1970s, the percentage of Americans who divorce has hovered between 40% to 50%. Using new data, a recent survey shows who wants out and why.
I’ve written about the reasons for divorce before. This new study notes that women are most prone to discontent in marriage: 20% of married women report having thought about leaving their spouse within the past year.
However, thoughts about separating – or conversations with one’s spouse or partner about exactly that – do not signify that a relationship is over: 13% of married respondents report having talked about separating.
Women also are far more likely to want out of their marriages than men: 55% said they wanted their marriages to end more than their spouses while only 29% of men reported the same.
For over 125 years, wives are consistently more likely to file for divorce than husbands. These results are resistant to time, which is surprising since economic opportunities for women have expanded dramatically – giving women outside options – and divorce laws have been altered, typically in their favor
The most-cited reasons for wanting a divorce were:
Infidelity by either party: 37% (28% spouse’s infidelity)
Spouse unresponsive to your needs: 32%
Grew tired of making a poor match work: 30%
Spouse’s immaturity: 30%
Emotional Abuse: 29%
Financial Priorities/Spending Patterns: 24%
Alcohol and Drug Abuse: 23%
Physical violence was a common reason listed by women seeking a divorce.
When married couples are asked about physical abuse, nearly identical shares of men and women say that they have experienced some form of physical abuse at least once in their marriage.