Breaking up with a partner will never be easy, but there are signs that divorce is getting easier and less fraught with animosity. Released from the societal expectations that marriage is forever, couples can choose their own paths towards happiness, rather than staying together no matter what.
With this in mind, let’s look at some of the reasons that divorce isn’t that bad in 2024 and what is driving this shift.
Societal expectations are changing
The pressure to remain married against all odds is gradually losing its grip. Couples are taking a pragmatic approach and deciding to call it quits when their lives are no longer aligned. This is partly down to an increase in shared responsibility in the home.
Rather than staying at home to raise children, more women are sharing the parental leave with their partner and this allows them to be more independent and career driven. Women are more likely to forge their own path if they don’t feel like they are reliant on their partner.
Social media champions the single life
A quick glance at social media will show you singles of all ages are not only surviving but thriving on their own. A rise in awareness over what makes a healthy relationship coupled with a rise in empowerment for divorced and unmarried people has created the perfect conditions that inspire people to choose their own path to happiness. Even if that means being single.
Less likely to own property
Unfortunately, young people today are less likely to be on the property ladder, and this can make divorce a lot less complicated. Shared assets are typically difficult to handle in a divorce as it will often mean selling the asset or one party buying the other party out. Couples are more likely to have separate finances and to be independent in their approach to wealth, so it can be much easier to untangle the mess when the time comes to get divorced.
Child custody is more straightforward
The assumption that a child is better off with the mother is a thing of the past. It’s far more common for parents to take the mature approach of co-parenting and will split custody down the middle. Even when the parents don’t see eye to eye on the causes of the breakup, it’s more common for parents to be amicable when it comes to childcare arrangements. While it can still end in court if both parties can’t agree on important aspects of how the children should be raised, divorce is less complicated if both parties can agree to the basics.
Arrival or no fault divorce
In 2022, the no fault divorce was announced, which scrapped the requirement for couples to place the blame for the breakdown of the relationship. When there is an amicable agreement to divorce, it can be unnecessarily to place the blame for the breakdown of the relationship. And even if you agree to simply place the blame for the sake of the divorce, this can still lead to unnecessary tension that could erupt into genuine feelings of blame.
Better mental health support
There is a better understanding of the importance of mental health today, and far greater provisions to help individuals care for their mental health. Perhaps the biggest difference is the societal shift in encouraging men to talk about their feelings in a constructive way, whereas they might have once just bottled up their feelings. All of this adds up to a more positive approach to divorce that means everyone can focus on their own wellbeing rather than treating it like they have to go into battle.
