If television, movies or romance novels are to be believed, bored and/or
unfaithful men initiate most divorces. According to scientific research,
however, women are actually
more likely to file for divorce than men.
In a study published in Oxford Journal,
‘These boots are made for walking’: why most divorce filers
are women, the authors articulate this counterintuitive insight: “Because of
the financial and social hardship faced after divorce, most people assume
that generally husbands have instigated divorce since the introduction
of no-fault divorce. Yet
women file for divorce and are often the instigators of separation, despite
a deep attachment to their children and the evidence that many divorces
harm children. Furthermore, divorced women in large numbers reveal that
they are happier than they were while married. They report relief and
certainty that they were right in leaving their marriages.”
7 More Surprising Facts about Divorce and Men
- 17 percent of divorces are the result of infidelity. That means that a full 83 percent of these failed relationships were beset byother problems significant enough to lead to divorce.
- Men appear to suffer greater emotional discord post-breakup. Psychology Today posits that women rebound faster and easier, in general, because they have stronger emotional ties.
- Divorce can take a severe toll on your health. According to Harvard Medical School, married men are healthier than unmarried or divorced men. In fact, divorced men are more susceptible to high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.
- For men, household income drops by approximately 25 percent following divorce. While divorce tends to be harder on women than men in terms of finances, it is still a huge adjustment.
- Anxiety quantifiably rises during and after a divorce. A Prevention Magazine synopsis of the science says that the loss of companion can lead to greater levels of anxiety in men.
- 6% of men who divorce will remarry… their old wives! At least, that’s the percentage estimated by psychology professor, Nancy Kalish, author of Lost & Found Lovers: Facts and Fantasies of Rekindled Romances.
- Divorce increases the likelihood that men (more than women) will turn to alcohol and/or drug use. Per NBC News, “Sociologists from the University of Cincinnati, Pennsylvania State University, Rutgers University and the University of Texas at Austin looked at longitudinal data from 5,305 men and women from Wisconsin who answered questionnaires about alcohol use in 1993 and then again 2004. The participants reported how many drinks they consumed in a month and whether they had any history of drinking problems.” Corinne Reczek, one of the lead researchers, sought to explain why men responded to divorce by drinking more often than women did. She observed: “Some research suggests that men are more likely to cope with stressors in ‘externalizing’ ways (i.e., alcohol use), while women are more likely to cope in ‘internalizing’ ways (e.g., depression).”
Whether you’re fighting for a fair custody agreement or in need of strategic assistance dividing marital assets, the DiPietro Family Law Group can help. Please call our team at (888) 530-4374 for a free consultation.