Living Together Before Marriage And Divorce In The United States

In the United States, researchers estimate that 40%–50% of all first marriages and 60% of second marriages will end in divorce. There are some well known factors that put people at higher risk for divorce: marrying at a very early age, less education and income, living together before marriage, a premarital pregnancy, no religious affiliation, coming from a divorced family, and feelings of insecurity. The most common reasons people give for their divorce are lack of commitment, too much arguing, infidelity, marrying too young, unrealistic expectations, lack of equality in the relationship, lack of preparation for marriage, and abuse.
To say that nearly half of all first marriages end in divorce sounds a lot like saying marriage is just a game …show more content…
Premarital cohabitation. Couples who live together before marriage appear to have a much higher chance of divorce if they marry. However, this risk is mostly for those who live together with more than one partner. Most only live together with one partner (whom they later marry) and these couples don’t seem to be at a lot greater risk for divorce. The idea that living together before marriage increases your risk for divorce and goes against a lot of common beliefs that it is a good way to get to know each other better and prepare for marriage. Living together may be a way to get to know each other better, but other things about living together apparently do not help and even hurt your chances for a successful marriage, especially if you live together with several people before marrying. Researchers have found that those who live together already have or develop more lenient attitudes about divorce. But some researchers also think that living together may hinder building a strong commitment to each other and the importance of …show more content…
Most Americans (70%) believe that divorce, in general, is a morally acceptable choice and many feel that divorce is a personal, private matter and it is their choice alone whether or not to divorce. Some individuals may feel that a few months of arguments and disappointments justifies their divorce, while other couples will stay together even through infidelity and abuse. Divorce actually protects and highlights the moral boundaries around marriage. There are circumstances and behaviors that clearly violate those boundaries. Individuals have the right to be physically and emotionally safe in a relationship. And society has the right to try to protect the moral boundaries of marriage to preserve the integrity and sacred nature of such an important institution as marriage. The stakes are even higher when children are involved because those children have a stake in the marriage. And society has a stake in the well being of the next generation. Family breakdowns put children at greater risk for many serious problems. Most children are better off when their parents can resolve their difficulties and keep the family