Family Law

The Main Reasons People Divorce

By Ben Stevens

Why do people get divorce?  Though every couple's relationship is different, the reasons that they split up usually are not as varied as you might think.  I came across an article which listed five main reasons of divorce, and I would concur that these encompass the vast majority of all divorces:

• Communication Problems. A couple may already be experiencing communication problems even before their marriage. Expectations may not have been made clear or certain issues that could affect a marriage were not brought up. Discussing feelings about aspects that are personally important is also crucial but may not always be practiced by couples. Some couples may put little weight on pre-marital issues only to realize during marriage that they should have clearly set things in black and white or that hey should have been better listeners. Communication issues before marriage can get worse after getting married.
• Financial Issues. Another major cause of disagreement between married couples is, of course, financial matters. Married couples could squabble over such issues as shared financial responsibility, unequal financial status, undisclosed financial state, over spending and lack of financial support. Evidence suggests though that money is not always the sole or primary cause of divorce. Nonetheless, it is still a significant factor. Again, the lack of communication over financial issues is the real culprit here and not money per se.
• Forms of Abuse. All forms of abuse are possible causes of divorce. This does not just include intentional and habitual physical battery. Abuse may also come in the form of sexual abuse and emotional abuse. One partner may actively seek to degrade his/her partner through harsh language. In some cases, abuse can also be in the form of a spouse abusing drugs or alcohol or excessive gambling. There may be no physical or verbal abuse but the other partner would understandably have a difficult time managing finances and daily life with an addicted spouse.
• Marital Infidelity. Marriage is a mutually exclusive arrangement between two parties. This is of course unless both partners privately consent on their own to see other people while remaining married to each other. Otherwise, one may seek to divorce a spouse if evidence of infidelity is clearly obtained.
• Sexual Problems. One essential aspect of marriage is sex. Couples are expected to consummate or perform the act. That is unless a person knows and accepts before marriage that one partner has some sexual problems. In some cases, sexual dysfunction or disinterest may begin after tying the knot. If a couple is unable to resolve this, it may become a reason for divorce.

Full post as published by SC Family Law Blog on June 04, 2008 (boomark / email).