Divorce

• Changing patterns of divorce:

  Since 1960s, there has been a great increase in the number of divorces in the UK. The number of divorces doubled between 1961 and 1969, and doubled again by 1972. The upward trend continued, peaking at 1993 at 165,000.
• Changing patterns of divorce:

  Since then numbers have fallen but still stood at 118,000 in 2012 - about 6x higher than in 1961. This rate means that about 40% of all marriages will end in divorce.
• Changing patterns of divorce:

  One reason for the fall in the number of divorces since the 1990s is that fewer people are marrying in the first place and are choosing to cohabit instead.
• Changing patterns of divorce:

  About 65% of petitions for divorce now come from women. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in the past. E.G. in 1946, only 37% of petitions came from women - barely half today's figure. The commonest reason for a women to be granted a divorce is the unreasonable behaviour of her husband.
• Changing patterns of divorce:

  Some couples are more likely than others to divorce. Couples whose marriages are at greatest risk include those who marry young, have a child before they marry or cohabit before marriage, and those where one or both partners have been married before.
• Explanations for the increase in divorce - Changes in the law:

  Divorce was very difficult to obtain in 19th century Britain, especially for women. Gradually changes in the law have made divorce easier.
• Explanations for the increase in divorce - Changes in the law:

  Equalising the grounds: for divorce between the sexes.
• Explanations for the increase in divorce - Changes in the law:

  Widening the grounds: for divorce.
• Explanations for the increase in divorce - Changes in the law:

  Making divorce cheaper
• Explanations for the increase in divorce - Changes in the law:

  When the grounds were equalised for men and women in 1932, this was followed by a sharp rise in the number of divorce petitions from women. The widening of the grounds in 1971 to 'irretrievable breakdown' made divorce easier to obtain and produced a doubling of the divorce rate almost overnight. The introduction of legal aid for divorce cases in 1949 lowered the cost of divorcing. Divorce rates have risen with each with each change in the law.