Couples who marry because of family pressure 50 per cent more likely to divorce

According to a Marriage Foundation report, partners who enter into marriage because of pressure from family, are 50% more likely to get a divorce, leaving them to grapple issues such as dividing matrimonial assets, child living arrangements and issues surrounding the  legal status of fatherhood , for instance. We look at the key findings of the research, the meaning of marriage today and what things look like for the future. 

The divorce research 

Including respondents who were not married, the study entitled ‘Attitudes towards marriage and commitment’ also looked at around 900 couples who had married for the first time, post 2000. The survey included questions on the level to which the couples agreed or not on the reasons why they got married. Revealing that those who stated that they felt they were obliged to get married from family pressure, were 50% more likely to get divorced. This compared to the other respondents who fell into their marriages, and who had a 29% probability of divorce. Those more likely to stay together according to the survey, were those who intentionally set out to build a life together. 

The changing meaning of marriage 

The concept of marriage made perfect sense centuries ago, and many people today still believe in its merits. Originally existing as a Civil Contract between a man and a woman it was designed to provide mutual benefit for both parties including the raising of children. 

With fewer women at work, it was arguably a logical agreement for both parties. However, changes in the way we live have led to a rethink on the meaning of marriage and indeed, whether or not couples get married at all. For women at home, looking after children and a husband bringing in a salary to pay for the family, it still makes sense. However, many women are going out to work now and more and more are becoming the breadwinners, no longer reliant on a significant other to provide for them. 

Pressure on women to get married 

Although pressure to get married is evident for both men and women, it can feel especially ‘expected’ of women often encouraged to have babies, and take care of a family home across many different cultures. There is a society-wide view that marriage and family equate to a happy and financially comfortable life, with some family members finding it difficult to understand life without a spouse. But it is not only family, peers can also unwittingly encourage couples to take the traditional marriage route. 

What does the future of marriage look like?  

Social research suggests we are adopting a more liberal attitude to marriage as a whole. Marriage rates are decreasing in England and Wales and it looks as if many couples are taking a selective approach towards tying the knot. Getting married at a young age is no longer as fashionable as it was, and the view that a traditional marriage was the bedrock for bringing up children is not as strongly held as it once was. The number of people cohabiting is also creating a less formal alternative to marriage. The number of people living together in long-term, stable relationships and remaining unmarried, is rising. According to UK Parliamentary research, it increased by 144% in the 25 years between 1996 & 2021. This is despite the fact that living as a cohabiting couple provides no legal rights to couples, although many people mistakenly believe there is common law protecting them. 

Although firm cultural beliefs are not likely to disappear overnight, societal developments such as increased cohabitation, and more women in work are likely to lessen the impact of family pressures to get married in the future.