While data as far back as the 1940s has shown that women are more likely than men to file for divorce, a recent student presented by a Stanford University professor indicates that it may be for a different reason than most have thought. Previously, researchers assumed that women were more likely to initiate a breakup in any relationship because they were reportedly more sensitive to relationship problems.
However, this latest study that was presented to the American Sociological Association looked at the relationship status and breakups of both heterosexual marriages and heterosexual nonmarital relationships and found that there was a large difference. Approximately, 69 percent of the divorces in the study were initiated by the woman, but for breakups in nonmarital relationships, who initiated the end of the relationship was pretty equally split between both sexes.
Michael Rosenfeld, who authored the latest study, reported that one possible hypothesis for this discrepancy is not that women are more sensitive but that women are less satisfied with the institution of marriage. He suggested that heterosexual marriages still have many of the same traditional gender roles of decades past, such as women being responsible for the bulk of the child raising and household chores, which may result in the women feeling they aren’t getting as much out of the marriage as men.
Of course, a divorce is much more complicated than ending a nonmarital relationship and requires the couple to go through legal proceedings which can be confusing and stressful. If you are considering filing for divorce, a family law attorney can help you understand what to expect.
Source: Counsel & Heal, “Men and Women Initiate Breakups Equally,” Christine Hsu, Aug. 22, 2015