The Rise in Divorce Rate

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The sanctity of marriage has seemed to have disappeared with the arrival of the 21st century. Though marriage rates have always fluctuated in the past, current events have caused divorce rates to increase. According to recent statistics made by the census bureau, the divorce rate in America is roughly 50 percent. There are a myriad of speculations as to why more people are not staying together. One reason is that people are getting married for the wrong reasons, such as unplanned pregnancies. Another reason is that women have become more independent so that they are not forced in to being in a marriage where they are not happy. Last, lenient divorce laws make it much easier for many couples to get divorced. Combined, these three reasons have caused the divorce rate to be seemingly high and projected the increased trend in divorces.

Marriage has long been a sacrosanct tradition only broken in the times of utmost desperation. However, now and days people seem to disregard or just simply ignore the vows that are made during matrimony. In the United States, divorce rates are well above many other developed nations due to the fact that our current lifestyle and living habits have made divorce seem like a natural and everyday occurrence. Children whose parents have a divorce are four times more likely to get a divorce themselves, and with the growing population of children who have divorced parents, it is no surprise that the trend in divorce rate is increasing. With these trying times, people do not get married for the right reasons. Rather than getting married over love and courtship, there is an increase of people who get married for

unplanned pregnancies or just sheer desperation. Accordi...

... middle of paper ...

... too easily shattered with the soonest sign of trouble or some mishap that can be fixed with a modicum amount of effort. There are those who also get married for the wrong reasons, either from an unplanned pregnancy or an arranged marriage. Also, the status of women has changed in the past century, giving them more freedom and will to get a divorce and live independently. Finally, divorce laws have made it especially convenient for people to more easily and readily get a divorce. It is with these three factors that the divorce rate has been steadily increasing and will not go down anytime soon.

Works Cited
Henshaw, Stanley. “Unintended Pregnancy In the United States.” Family Planning Perspectives 30.1 (1998): 24-46. Web. 7 Mar 2010.

Pollitt, Katha. "Working Women: Strength in Numbers." Nation 289.16 (2009): 10. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Mar. 2010.

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