We've all heard it: 50% of marriages end in divorce. Turns out, that's just not true.
Divorce has recently become a popular topic of conversation as certain state lawmakers champion changes that would make it harder to get a no-fault divorce, in which either spouse can file for divorce without needing to prove the other spouse did anything wrong.
Those behind the push say no-fault divorces threaten traditional family structures and contribute to rising divorce rates, but data shows most marriages don’t end in divorce and rates have been in steady decline since the 1980s.
It's all part of the great divorce myth.
“It’s like crime, people tend to assume it’s always going up or they assume it’s a part of modern life and it’s always worse than it’s ever been,” said Philip Cohen, professor of sociology at the University of Maryland. “It’s not true. Divorce rates are down.”
