Divorce Becoming More Acceptable Amongst Americans

Many Americans are in troubled marriages. Whether financial hardships have damaged the underlying relationship between spouses, infidelity has collapsed any trust, or the couple has simply grown apart, many of these individuals find themselves considering divorce. Although this act was once considered a taboo step to take and was even seen as morally reprehensible, it has now found more acceptability in our society.

In fact, one recent study found that nearly three-fourths of all Americans find divorce morally acceptable, which is an increase of 14 percent since 2001. This comes at a time when the divorce rate is at a decade low. These statistics are significant, especially since only about half of all Americans indicated they “believed” in divorce in the 1950s. Yet, once divorce laws began to be passed in every state, the percentage of Americans who accepted marriage dissolution slowly but steadily grew.

So why is society’s view of divorce changing and why is the divorce rate falling? One explanation is that younger individuals view marriage differently. These individuals are holding off marriage until a later age, instead opting for cohabitation. Also, younger Americans may be more likely to view marriage more as a legal decision rather than a moral one, which would make them more accepting of the idea of marriage dissolution.

Although divorce rates are comparatively low, there is still a significant number of Californians who find that, for whatever reason, they can no longer continue with their marriage. When this happens, these individuals should not be concerned about whether their decision will be accepted by their peers. Instead, they need to focus on securing the best post-divorce life possible. This often means obtaining the assistance of a qualified family law attorney who can help address issues such as property division, spousal support, child custody, and child support.