It’s no secret among lawyers that women initiate divorces more often than men do. Some studies have shown that women initiate divorce two-thirds of the time more than men. But why? What’s the reason behind this statistic?
Here are some things researchers have found:
Women Contribute More to the Union than Men
While our society has come a long way with regards to gender roles and stereotypes, women still tend to do the majority of the housework, which includes cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, organizing social activities, managing household schedules, and childcare. And very often they do it after a hard day’s work, as many women also hold down full-time jobs. This not only leads to higher levels of stress among women, but also a sense of inequality, unfair treatment, and feelings of resentment.
Their Husbands Fail to Support Their Careers
Many women who’ve filed for divorce have stated they were disappointed that their husbands were not supportive of their careers—even despite the fact that many of these women had highly successful corporate positions earning high salaries. Some said they were disappointed because they felt they couldn’t talk to their husbands about their work-related problems because their husbands were unsympathetic and simply didn’t want to be bothered.
Women Don’t Get the Emotional Support They Need
Most couples who’ve been together for many years understand the importance of communication in any marriage. However, it’s an area where many couples struggle.Generally speaking, men aren’t“taught” how to communicate their feelings and process emotions; it also doesn’t come as naturally to men as it does to women. As a result, women in marriages take on the emotional responsibilities and often become the sole emotional support system for the entire family. This can take a mental and emotional toll on a woman over time.
Women No Longer Rely on Their Husbands Financially
Women are more educated, accomplished, empowered and independent than ever before. This means many women no longer feel obligated to tolerate inconsistent or unacceptable behavior from their spouses. Where women were once more dependent on their husbands for financial security and social status, today this is not as much the case.
Women Say They Lackthe Necessary Physical and Emotional Attention
It’s sometime the case in marriages that once the honeymoon period is over, a husband might slowly—or suddenly—change his behavior from romantic to domineering and even emotionally distant and abusive. Unfortunately, this happens quite often in marriages, as many divorce lawyers, judges and mediators will tell you.In some cases, men begin to stray and might begin having extra-marital affairs—a situation that today’s modern woman is more unlikely to put up with than in times past.
Whether you or your partner is initiating a divorce, at Hirsch Legal, LLC we are here to guide you through this emotionally difficult, time consuming, and expensive process. We are ready to discuss any family law issues you may be facing, including divorce, custody, and support matters.