Topic 5- changing family patterns

• Reasons for increasing divorce rates

  • Legal changes - divorce has become easier to access; equalising the grounds between both genders; widening the grounds (eg. irretrievable breakdown)
  • Less stigma - divorce has become more common and widely accepted
  • Secularisation - decline in religious influence on society
  • Higher expectations of marriage - the rising expectation of marriage based upon unrealistic scenarios shown in movies has led to the dissatisfaction amongst many couples (Fletcher)
  • Women's financial independence - more women are now in paid employment, and lone parent welfare benefits are available. Women are less economically dependent on a man, and can afford divorce
• What are some reasons for a decline in marriage rates?

  Changing attitudes, alternatives to marriage are less stigmatised, womens economic independence, the impact of feminism- some women see marriage as a patriarchal institution and rising divorce rates
• What are some other trends in marriage?

  Rise in serial monogamy- many people remarry, later marriages and fewer church weddings
• What are the different types of partnerships?

  Many people are living together without being married, there is an increase in same sex partnerships and there are more people living alone
• Why are children being born later?

  More children are born outside marriage, women are having children later and radical feminists are still unhappy with women being the main caregivers