trends of divorce

• 1921

  3000 divorces
• 1949

  legal aid became available reducing the cost of divorce
• 1961

  27,000 divorces
• 1969

  divorce law reform act passed (1971) - both couples agreeing to divorce = 2 years separation, disagreement = 5 years separation

  Bernard (1976)

  many women feel dissatisfied with patriarchal marriage - the higher divorce rates requested by women show the growing acceptance of feminist ideas - women are becoming aware of oppression and are confident fighting it
• 1984

  minimum period after marriage before a divorce petition could be filed was reduced from 3 to 1 year

  Giddens + Beck (1992)

  in modern society, traditional norms like the duty of staying with the same partner for life have lost their value

  Fletcher (1996)

  the higher the expectations people place on marriage are a major cause of rising divorce rates - higher expectations make couples less likely to tolerate an unhappy marriage 
• 1996

  Family law act encourages couples to seek mediation bur allows divorce after a period of reflection

  Hoschild (1997)

  women feel more valid at work that at home where they are frustrated by men’s resistance to doing housework which makes marriage less stable

  Mitchell + Goody (1997)

  said there are rapid declines of stigmas around divorce - divorce is now viewed more socially acceptable

  Allan + Crow (2001)

  marriage isn’t a binding contract, but a relationship which individuals seek personal fulfilment which encourages people to divorce if their needs aren’t met 
• 2007

  appeal court ruling - in divorce settlements, equality applies, the starting point is a 50/50 split of all assets, including salaries and pension rights 

  Rushton 

  mothers who have a dual burden (paid and domestic work) are more likely to divorce than nonworking mothers in marriage with a traditional division of labour
• 2014

  same sex marriages legalised, same grounds for divorce apply to heterosexual and homosexual couples 

  Cook + Gash

  found no evidence that working women are more likely to divorce - they argue that this is because working has now become the expected norm
• the meaning of a high divorce rate

  new right - high divorce rate is undesirable as it creates a growing underclass of female headed lone parent families - sons without male role model leads to poor educational attainment
• the meaning of a high divorce rate

  feminists - high divorce rates is desirable as it shows women are breaking free of patriarchal nuclear family oppression
• the meaning of a high divorce rate

  postmodernists - high divorce rate proves individuals now have the freedom to choose to end a relationship where needs aren’t being met - divorce is a major cause of diversity
• the meaning of a high divorce rate

  functionalists - high divorce rate isn’t a threat to marriage as a social institution as it’s a result of people’s higher expectations - high remarriage rate shows continuing commitment to marriage