Do Men or Women Typically Initiate a Divorce First?

women initiate divorce

Statistics say 70% of marriages in the US that end in termination are initiated by women, but what do the experts really say?

women initiate divorceWhen a couple decides to marry, they usually think their marriage will last until “death do us part”. Sadly though, that is often not the case. In the United States, roughly half of marriages end in divorce. Terminating a marriage is usually not something couples take lightly, and while it may be a mutual decision, the statistics show there is a clear pattern as to who makes the initial call. In the US, it is estimated that 70% of marriages that end in divorce are initiated by women. That figure rises to 90% when the woman is college educated.

So why is it that women are more likely to choose to proceed with a divorce than men? Heidi Kar, who is a licensed clinical psychologist and international mental health expert for the Education Development Center in New York sites that it is not a coincidence that the rise of divorce initiated by women coincides with women’s liberation. Kar says “Across cultures and geographies, women who are economically able to take care of themselves – which usually … Read More... “Do Men or Women Typically Initiate a Divorce First?”