20% Project

Divorce

Over 50% of married Americans today will eventually get a divorce. Next to Sweden we are the country with the highest divorce rate. So the question is why are our divorce rates so much higher then other countries like India? There are multiple reasons.
The number one reason for divorce in the United States today is because of lack of commitment and communication. This is including adultery or abuse which doesn’t even make the top three reasons. That is really saying something about us as people. In India, for some people the tradition is to have your marriage arranged for you. Although divorce is harder to get there, it is still available. The divorce rate in India is only 1.1% and that is having marriages arranged for them. We get to pick who we marry and many of us still cannot make it work.
In the United States, the time where the divorce happens most is between the ages of 20-24 years old. This is also the average time that people normally get married. 60% of people who get married the second time will end up getting a divorce. 73% of people who get married the third time will also get a divorce. So, this is not just newlyweds.
Let’s look at countries like Turkey for example that are not finically well. Their divorce rate is only 6%. Many reasons for divorce deal with money. Americans are known to be lazy, and greedy. Money means a lot to people in the US and many of us want the best of the best. In Turkey, marrying someone just for their money may not be as high on the priority list. Many of us now don’t look necessarily for the right person, but instead what they have to offer to us.
Another reason could be religion. In Italy 88% of the populations are Catholics. They do not believe in premarital sex and don’t believe in divorce. Although they as well have their share of people who are not religious as do we, they are much stricter about it. Considering all of this, their divorce rate is only 10% which is more then some, but better then ours.
Those are a few of the reasons that our divorce rate may be so much higher compared to other countries. I am not saying it is impossible to change but I feel like the way we do things makes this how it is and would be hard to change. That is why over 50% of married Americans today will eventually get divorced.