A study has found that divorce is no longer seen as a social taboo in the UK.
According to the study, nearly two thirds of people now don’t think that there is a stigma attached to ending a marriage as attitudes have become more relaxed.
Sixty-two per cent of the people surveyed , by polling organisation YouGov, said they thought divorce was socially acceptable. Only four per cent said that they strongly agreed with the idea that it was a social taboo.
Nicola Whitley, expert divorce lawyer at Swain & Co Solicitors LLP, says, “In modern life in the UK, divorce has become more familiar with most of us being affected by divorce in one way or another. This could be for many reasons, such as change in religious influences or the more transient lives that we lead. Most people now know someone who has been through divorce. It is still key to make sure that wherever possible divorce and separation are dealt with amicably and for there to minimal impact on any children involved.”
The study also found that young people aged 25-34 were more likely to think of divorce as a taboo.
Christine Northam, a Relate Counsellor, has commented, “The generational difference in attitude could be put down to the young couples’ proximity to parental divorce, and an unwillingness to repeat the same mistakes.”