Unsurprisingly, the survey from Co-op Legal Services found that an affair with someone else was the top reason for couples splitting up. 44% of women named an “inappropriate relationship with someone else” as the main reason for marriage breakdown, while 42% of men opted for the second reason on the list, “growing apart”.
The full list, as published by Good to Know, is as follows:
- 1.An affair with someone else
- 2.Growing apart
- 3.Falling out of love
- 4.Not finding a partner attractive anymore
- 5.One spouse wanting children, the other not
- 6.Work commitments putting a strain on the relationship
- 7.Drug or alcohol abuse
- 8.One party wanting to relocate to somewhere else
- 9.Having nothing left in common
- 10.Illness
Some may be surprised to see that money worries were not on the list, often cited as a key trigger for relationship breakdown. As many divorce solicitors, including Wirral family law experts Tracey Miller, will tell you after years of experience, anxieties over money and debt can often put undue strain on a relationship and can push many couples to breaking point.
Women taking the lead on initiating divorce
The study also found that 58% of women said that they had initiated divorce proceedings, compared to just 33% of men. Male respondents also found it more difficult to come up with a definite reason why their marriage had ended, and indeed – respondents of each gender came up with very different reasons for their divorce.
The Co-op Legal Services’ Tracey Moloney commented on the survey findings, saying:
“It's interesting that whilst a fifth of divorcees bring up the divorce conversation together, two fifths find it difficult to agree reasons for their divorce.
“Divorce is such a personal and unique decision between two parties and it's important that both parties come to the table and talk openly and honestly about their reasons for wanting to divorce. In my experience, this makes for a more amicable divorce and avoids the situation turning hostile later down the line.”
The study looked at how stressful people found the divorce process, with the results highlighting the time it took to go through proceedings as the most difficult part for 20% of people. 17% disliked the confrontational nature of divorce, while 16% named the reactions of family members as the most painful part of the process.
Believe it or not, the divorce process doesn’t have to be a nightmare to go through. With an expert helping to smoothly guide you through proceedings and fight your corner, it can be more straightforward than you expect. Get in touch with Liverpool divorce solicitors, Tracey Miller Family Law, for honest, expert advice and support.