UK National statistics poll states that divorce rates range from 41 to 44 percent in modern British society. This means that, in recent years, 3.1 percent of the marriages in the UK for every 1000 people ended in divorce. Divorce rates have been steadily climbing since the 1970s. Many reasons have been attributed to this steady growth.

Legislative Acts: The last 150 years have witnessed a steady rise in the number of divorces in the UK. According to the yearly figures released by the Office for National Statistics, divorce rates have been steadily increasing from 1996. The 19th century saw a relaxation of the Victorian marital traditions and norms. The Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 and 1932 expanded the scope of grounds of divorce to include bigamy, physical incapacity, desertion and incompatibility. The First World War along with the Herbert Act of 1937 propelled the rise of divorce rates in the UK. It gave the wife the freedom to petition for divorce alone. In addition, divorce reasons became broader -- habitual drunkenness, prolonged incurable insanity and imprisonment. In 1938, the eligibility for divorce aid changed making divorces beneficial and reducing the prospect of financial doom for the petitioners and respondents. The Divorce Reform Act of 1969 allowed for a two-year separation period before a divorce. The act also legalised separation after five years of desertion. The grounds for divorce were further expanded to include adultery, an irretrievable breakdown in marriage and unreasonable behaviour. The Matrimonial and Family proceedings Act in 1984 made divorce easier by stating that couples could petition and divorce only after a period of 12 months. Thus, the UK legislation made divorce a relaxed and everyday affair.

Changing Social Landscape: According to social organisations of Reality of Social Causes and UK Divorce Lawyers, the changing UK social scene has also contributed to the growth of divorce rate. This changing social setting includes:

• Changing perception and attitudes about institution of marriage
• Changing lifestyle and attitude
• Changing social perception about divorce


All these factors add up to marked increasing divorce rates in the UK. Divorce in the 1970s was a social stigma – something to be avoided at all costs. It was not uncommon to stay in a bad marriage and suffer in silence. Women were subversive and docile creatures dominated by men. They did not have freedom of expression or movement. In fact, their existence depended on the whims and fancies of the male in the house. However, perceptions and attitudes have changed since the 1980s. Liberalisation and civic movements have caused women to wake up and voice their opinion. Now, divorce is no longer considered a social stigma. If the woman is not happy in her marriage, it is best to walk out. Thus, the rising power of the woman is intricately linked to the concept of globalisation leading to lifestyle and attitude changes.

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