High Divorce Rates and Its Long-term Social Effects
By: James Walsh

Divorce rates in the UK have increased by leaps and bounds after two prominent policies of the British Government came into force. One was the ‘Divorce Reform Act of 1969’ that came into effect in the year 1971. This act introduced the concept of irrevocable breakdown of marriage as a ground for divorce. The next Act was the ‘Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act,’ which reduced the minimum marital duration required for petitioning a divorce. Unhappily married couples were allowed to file for a divorce a year after their marriage as against the earlier stipulated period of 3 years.

These Acts of the government were preceded by an unprecedented hike in divorce rates. Divorce rates in the UK began galloping since the 1960s and they touched their peak in the year 1993 when 180,018 couples divorced. Since then the rate of increase has gradually subsided. In the year 2006, just 132,562 marital disunions occurred. Irrespective of the divorce figures (that still numbers in millions,) parental separation always entails unaccountable suffering to the children.

Children of divorce, of the 1960s, 70s and 80s have suffered immeasurably. These affected citizens, (who were children of divorce in yesteryears) would quite probably end their marriage in divorce courts themselves. They, in turn, would create a new generation of children who would be mute sufferers of their parental decisions. These deeply unhappy children would turn disturbed citizens of morrow.

Disturbed Citizens

60% of children of divorced parents have stated that they faced parental rejection by at least one parent. Nothing can affect young minds more than parental rejection. Such rejection leads to depression, which gets compounded when these children later turn targets of abuse. Children of divorced parents are more likely to get abused, especially if their custodial parent happens to remarry. 70% of children aged below 2 years are likely to die by the treatment meted out by step-parents. Step-parents are prone to cruelty; biological parents are not.

Relationships with step-parents are extremely complex. Family life gets meshed with half brothers and sisters. If the second marriage ends in a divorce all the children of the family face the impact of the decision. Children require stability for growing into healthy adults and divorce and instability affect them. Ultimately, such hardships turn these children into disturbed adults. They are bound to face difficulties when they eventually marry and might follow the example set by their parents.

Divorce Perpetuates Divorce

Divorce pushes people into poverty. Children of divorce are likelier to face financial difficulties and economic hardships wreck marriages.

Secondly, all marriages face problems and they have to be worked upon. Unfortunately, these children have learnt that divorce is an answer to marital problems. Thus inclined, they fail to work on problems and opt for the seemingly easier way out.

Subsequently, these divorced parents fill society with emotionally, financially and academically affected children, who negatively impact society.

Effects of Increasing Divorce Rates on Society

One of the major effects of increasing divorce is felt by the rising crime graph in the society. One sociology professor had predicted that the number of robberies in a locality can be predicted by viewing the numbers of divorces that have taken place there.

A few other people have predicted that we would soon see a new class division in society. One set of citizens would be healthy individuals, raised in a two-parent family. The other set would be emotionally and psychologically disturbed people. Both, these classes would be roughly equal in size. Imagine the consequences when half the population comprises of distressed people.

We all know the heart-rending statistics that children of divorce are more prone to substance abuse and suicide. The government of the UK is spending huge amounts in alleviating these symptoms of divorce from society. If only the government diverts a percentage of these funds to strengthening marital ties and family units, they can reduce the divorce rates. Subsequently the associated ills of divorce would disappear.

The high cost of divorce on society is two-fold. Firstly, divorce results in poverty that leads to increased crime. Secondly, if divorce rates were low, governmental funds could have been diverted to productive endeavours, bringing about economic growth that benefits society at large.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleJoe.com

James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you would like more information on how to get a quickie www.quickie-divorce.com“>Divorce see www.quickie-divorce.com

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