Alarming Facts About Divorce

Nearly half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce, so what gives? Looking at the stats, things may not be as clear cut as they seem. In fact, there is a lot of misinformation out there, which Business Insider shone a light on in a report that listed some surprising facts about divorce. Here are eight of them:

1. Divorce rates are dropping. There were more than 782,000 divorces and annulments in the U.S. in 2018. However, despite the alarming number, divorce rates are decreasing significantly.
2. Many more marriages will still end in divorce. Although numbers are dropping, it is estimated that 39% of all marriages will end in divorce.
3. Alcohol habits can break up a marriage. Couples in which only one partner drank heavily were more likely to get divorced than couples with similar drinking habits. It is reported that nearly 50% of couples with one drinker could split.
4. Mothers have greater child support. It is reported that nearly half of all mothers with custody of their children receive support agreements. Only 30% of custodial fathers receive child support.
5. Few parents receive full child support. Less than half of the parents who do have child support agreements actually receive the full amount they should be getting.
6. Black children come from single-parent households. Data shows that half of all black children in the U.S. are raised by single parents with full or partial custody.
7. Women without fathers are more disadvantaged. Studies suggest that the educational prospects of young women who grow up without a father in their lives are far less than those who grow up with an intact family. Their health may suffer as well.
8. Staying together for the kids could teach divorce. Many parents choose to "stay together for the kids" despite a rocky relationship, but doing so may negatively impact their children, who are more likely to get divorced than children whose parents did split up.

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