New Study Examines Who is Asking for Divorce and Why

 Posted on October 03, 2014 in Divorce

A new study by the Austin Institute reveals that women are more likely than men to be unhappy in their marriage. The study, “Divorce in America,” also examined the reasons why people file for divorce. Researchers compiled data from the “Relationships in America” survey project that the institute recently conducted. There were 15,000 American adults between the ages of 18 to 60 who were surveyed. Of that group, nearly 4,000 were divorced. According to a statement released by the institute, data was used to assess “how people think about divorce, who wants out of marriages more, and why they want out.”

Twenty percent of the women surveyed said they had considered divorcing their spouse within the past year. Only 13 percent of men said they had considered leaving their marriage. Overall, 13 percent of married respondents had actually discussed separating with their spouse within the past year but had yet to separate.

For those participants in rocky marriages, 55 percent of the women said they wanted out of the marriage more than their husbands did. Only 29 percent of the men said they wanted out more than their wives. Forty-two percent of the men reported that their spouse wanted out of the marriage more than they did, while only 20 percent of the women reported that their husbands wanted the marriage to end more.

The survey cited 17 distinct reasons why people said they wanted a divorce. The number one reason was infidelity, which was cited by 37 percent of participants. Other top reasons cited included the following:

• “Spouse unresponsive to your needs” cited by 32 percent.
• “Grew tired of making a poor match work” cited by 30 percent.
• “Spouse’s immaturity” cited by 30 percent.
• “Emotional Abuse” cited by 29 percent.
• “Financial Priorities/Spending Patterns” cited by 24 percent.
• “Alcohol and Drug Abuse” cited by 23 percent.

No matter the reason, if you have decided to end your marriage and divorce your spouse, it is important to contact an experienced Geneva family law attorney to discuss your legal options. Our attorneys are here to help you throughout this difficult time.