Marriage ought to be a picture of two people falling in love with each other and promising to be there for each other for the rest of their lives. It’s nothing compared to a mere relationship, it’s way more than that; it’s an institution, and one that’s sacred in many cultures and religions all over the world.
However, as time goes by, the importance of marriage seems to be downplayed, and divorce becomes more prevalent. Most regions in the world have been experiencing a rapid increase in divorce rates, and this isn’t good for society. A happier marriage would lead to a happier and more satisfied children and society in general. The family might be the smallest unit in the society, but it’s by far the most important.
Below is some analysis about divorce:
1. Living together before getting married increases the likelihood of divorce by as much as 40%.
2. If your parents are happily married, your chances of getting divorced are significantly less and decreases by 14%.
3. People who get married after they are 25 are less likely to get divorced.
Below are divorce rates and statistics in various parts of the world
SOUTH AFRICA
Inasmuch as Africa seems to have cultural and religious beliefs that’s strongly against divorce, divorce is still on the rise in the region, and South Africa seems to have a very high divorce rate. The divorce rate in South Africa in 2014 stood at about 61.2% which is a huge increase when compared to the divorce rate in 2013 which stood at 34.5%.
In 2012, 21,998 divorces were completed and registered, with more wives initiating the divorce.
THE UNITED STATES
The U.S has the highest divorce rate in the world with about 50% of marriages ending in divorce. Stats have it that there is one divorce every 36 seconds, with the average age of couples going through their first divorce estimated at 30 years (which is quite early).
The average length of a marriage that ends in divorce is eight years.
BRAZIL
Previously in Brazil, it was impossible to get a divorce just immediately after marriage. Their law stipulates that you can only file for divorce after a year of marriage, of which the divorce process is usually lengthy, leaving couples stuck together for a longer time.
However, things changed in 2010 after the constitution made it legal to divorce at any time. This led to a rise in divorce rate in the country, with a whopping 351,153 divorces in 2011 alone, 45.6% more than the previous year.
The highest divorce rate in 2011 occurred within the 30-53 age group. 37.2% of the divorcees had no children, 19.7 percent had adult offspring and 37.1 percent had children who were still below 18.
AUSTRALIA
Australia is also another country with a high divorce rate, and in 2012, the United Nations placed Australia’s divorce rate at 24th out of 70 countries.
Even though the divorce rate in Australia is reportedly falling, it’s still at a high. In 2013 alone, there were 118,962 registered marriages, and 47,638 divorces granted.
INDIA
Just like in Africa, India as well has strong principles against divorce, and the lowest divorce rate by a margin in the world, but there has been a gradual increase in divorce rates over the years.
1 out of every 100 marriages end in divorce in India, which is a stark contrast when compared to 7.40 failed per 1000 marriages recorded in 1990.
In 2007, there were about 7,000 divorce cases filed in the family courts of Mumbai by partners between the age group of 25-35, and 85% of the marriages ended in divorce in the first three years of marriage.
In 2014, 11,667 divorce cases were already filed as at November 2014, which rose when compared to the 7000 cases in 2007.
The rising divorce rate in countries all over the world is quite scary and unhealthy for society. However, the big question is: what happened to ’till death do us part’?
Shawn