Divorce: An Epidemic Happening Across the U.S. | Teen Ink

Divorce: An Epidemic Happening Across the U.S.

January 14, 2013
By TaylorG BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
TaylorG BRONZE, Columbus, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Everyone knows at least one couple that has been, is, or is getting divorced. I know many people that have gotten divorced from friends to family. Whether it’s your parents, your friend’s parents, or even your grandparents are who you know that’s divorced. Divorce is the legal “break up” or split up of a marriage. Right now in the US about 30% of all marriages end in divorce, 50% of first marriages, and 60% of second marriages don’t last. How are people suppose to believe in marriage when almost half of all marriages end with divorce?

Divorce is very stressful and affects many things such as: finances, living arrangements, household jobs, schedules, and more. If the couple has children it can affect them greatly. Before the late 1960s, to get a divorce you needed proof that the spouse has committed an act that was incompatible to the marriage. The grounds to get a divorce include ‘desertion’ ‘abandonment’ ‘cruelty’ and ‘adultery’. In modern times we now have a “no fault divorce”. In no fault divorces, it does not require proof of fault. In some jurisdictions saying that a marriage has been destroyed by irretrievable difference, has ground to get a divorce. Ever since no fault divorces were developed more people have been getting divorced. I believe that no fault divorces should not be allowed. Marriages aren’t always easy. Just because you have some differences doesn’t mean to go and get a divorce. Marriages can be very tough, but you married that person, for the good times and the bad times, so you are going to have some bad times. It’s one thing if one thing if on party did something, like they are abusive, or if they just leave and never come back.

Getting any kind of divorce can have serious affects (if the couple has children) on the children. Children 3-5 can mistake that the divorce was their fault, when it wasn’t; while older children can have feelings of anger, grief and embarrassment. Most divorces are very hard on the children. Children need a mom and a dad. When a divorce happens the parents usually change the living arrangements so they don’t live together anymore. So now the children have half their time with their dad and half of their time with their mom, instead of having time with both their mom and their dad. Sometimes the parent, that the child is not living with, will just slowly separate out of the child’s life until they are completely out of it.

Divorce can be helpful in some ways and hurtful in other ways. Sometimes two people need to get divorce. Other times when marriage gets hard on person wants a divorce and they get it, whatever the cost is, emotional, and money wise. If someone is going to quit on their marriage when it gets tough why should they get or have gotten married in the first place.

In conclusion, divorce is a big part of society today, whether it’s for the right reasons, or the wrong reasons. Divorce has grown quite high since the 1950s, when it was an embarrassment to get divorce. Back then people got divorce because that’s what needed to be done, not what wanted to be done. The divorce rate needs to slow down in the US. If 50% of all marriages in the US end in divorce, what will the percent be up to in 10 years? What will it be in 20 years? Some marriages need to just work out their difference without a divorce, because they married that person for a reason.

Resource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce



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