According to a new study, unreasonable behavior is more likely to be cited as the reason for a divorce than adultery.
The study analysed more than 5 million legal dissolutions of marriage between 1970 and now.
The results revealed that couples are half as likely to cite adultery as the grounds for divorce than 40 years ago. However, the complaints of unreasonable behavior have increased from 28% in 1970 to 47% nowadays.
In the 1970s, 29% of marriages ended due to infidelity whereas today it accounts for around 15% of divorces.
Society’s attitude has changed towards divorce, and the stigma is very much reduced. However, the grounds for a legal dissolution of marriage have remained enshrined in law for decades.
Samantha Lee, expert divorce lawyer at Swain & Co Solicitors says, “The laws of divorce have not been reformed since the 1973 act was introduced.”
Samantha explains, “The grounds for divorce are: Adultery (usually with an unnamed person); Unreasonable behavior; Desertion for two years; Two years separation with the other party’s consent; or Five years separation with no consent required.”