Divorce and Its Impact on Society
Divorce is one of the most complex social problems that affect various societies across the world. It has been widely accepted in the society, and since its legalization in the United States of America in 1857, divorce became popular in the 1970s and recent years, more than 50 percent of marriages end up in dissolution (Divorce 167). Divorce rates have been increasing and its now widely accepted in different societies, this is attributed to the fact that divorce has close ties with a relationship that exists between a group of people or between two individuals. The relationship between individuals or groups is governed by external and internal factors that influence the outcome of the relationship. These factors determine whether a marriage relationship will end in divorce or not. In the recent past, society seems to have accepted divorce as part of their lives, and this has made it difficult to find ways to deal with the problem of divorce. The causal factors that have made divorce to become a social phenomenon have a close association with relationships between individuals, because of this, divorce has become accepted as a way of life, and it has become a social problem.
Rising Divorce Rates in the United States
The rates of divorce in the United States of America have been increasing in recent years. According to statistics, most marriages throughout the United States of America last for about six years. According to the divorce reports, many young people have been opting for divorce as the most effective way to deal with issues in their marriage. It can be seen that young people are not ready to settle or live in a family setting. Several causal factors are responsible for turning divorce into a social problem. One of the major causes of divorce in the United States is poor decisions that are made mainly by young people when selecting their marriage mates. These poor decisions lead to marital conflicts which cause the dissolution of marriages. Additionally, divorce can be caused by the quality and the nature of the relationships of individuals; this means that if married partners have respect for each other and are flexible, chances of divorce will be minimal. Marital problems and the nature of relationships in the United States of America are the leading causes of divorce. Handling these issues has not been done effectively, because of this, divorce rates have been increasing making divorce to become a social problem in the country.
Social and Cultural Factors
The culture and social structure of the people living in the United States have also played a significant role in the increasing rates of divorce in the country. For the longest time, women in America have been able to support themselves and their kids without the help of their husbands. The divorced and unmarried women and men in the United States also enjoy similar opportunities both economic, political and legal with those who are married. Because of this, people do not find any reason to be in a marriage when something goes wrong. The fact that one can still enjoy the freedoms and rights just as those who have been married has led to the increased rates of divorce. The attitude of the people in the United States regarding divorce has also played a significant role in turning divorce into a social problem. Many Americans know that there are many other forms of families and not only extended and nuclear families. Single families are also seen as families who have made many people have still the feeling of belonging into a family even when divorce has taken place.
International Perspective on Divorce
Just like in the United States of America, the rate of divorce has been increasing in different societies across the world. Most countries in the world have established structures that allow for divorce to take place legally. In these societies, one of the major causes of divorce is the economic situation, when there is economic depression or recession, many people often get lack happiness. In such situations, people need to make up more time to improve their lives; they lack concentration on their marriages and in most cases, this ends up in divorce. Women have also become economically independent, they can be able to survive on their own and do not need to be in relationships (Kennedy & Steven 592). Other social factors like violence in the marriage have also led to increased rates of divorce. Across the world, many women suffer from domestic violence; the case is similar to men. Divorce appears to be the only solution that they have to end the marital problems that they have. Many people, especially the youth have also changed a lot. Unlike in the past, religious principles and teachings that are against divorce are not followed (Voena 2298). Because of this, they embrace divorce as an easy way to end a relationship with a partner in case they have problems.
Obstacles in Addressing Divorce as a Social Problem
Handling the divorce as a social problem faces several obstacles, the obstacles faced include; lack of data that is accurate and updated regarding the issue of divorce, lack of such data makes it difficult to obtain indicators and perform an accurate statistical data about this problem. By directing resources towards the study of this issue, a more elaborate understanding of the issue of divorce can be developed, and ways of solving the problem can be developed.
Works Cited
Divorce, After. "AND REMARRIAGE." Journal of Marriage and the Family 59.1 (2015): 165-176.
Kennedy, Sheela, and Steven Ruggles. "Breaking up is hard to count: The rise of divorce in the United States, 1980–2010." Demography 51.2 (2014): 587-598.
Voena, Alessandra. "Yours, Mine, and Ours: Do Divorce Laws Affect the Intertemporal Behavior of Married Couples?" American Economic Review 105.8 (2015): 2295-2332.
