Norwegian Initiative to Curb Divorce: Date

 Posted on November 11, 2013 in Divorce

With divorce rates on the rise across the world, some countries are taking initiatives to curb marital dissolution. The divorce rate in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention was 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2010, the most recent year for which data was available. This is roughly half the marriage rate for the same year, meaning that nearly 50 percent of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. While the divorce rate has remained high in the U.S. for the better part of the 20th century, there have only been a few major coordinated efforts to reduce the nation’s divorce rate. This is surprising, as divorce ends up costing Americans millions of dollars every year, and as a consequence is likely a contributing factor in more than one personal bankruptcy. According to the Huffington Post, the commonly-accepted ballpark figure for the cost of a divorce “is anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000.” As one attorney told a Huffington Post reporter, “basically it costs as much to get unmarried as it does to get married.” The cost of divorce and its subsequent impact on the people going through it could be one reason for some nations’ initiatives to attempt to curb the divorce rate. According to a different Huffington Post article, “Solveig Horne, [Norway’s] new minister for children, equality and social inclusion and a divorcee herself told a Norwegian newspaper that she’s encouraging couples to go on dates in order to rekindle the romance.” Horne’s idea, while some may say is indicative of a “nanny state,” is based in statistical fact. In 2012, reports the Huffington Post, the National Marriage Project “released a study that claimed married couples who actively kept ‘dating’ were 3.5 times more likely to say they were ‘very happy’ in their marriage.” The same survey showed that that happiness translated to good times in the bedroom: “women who went on weekly dates with their husbands experienced a higher rate of sexual satisfaction,” the report found. If nothing is working for you—even trying to “date” again—divorce may be the best option. Working with an experienced divorce attorney is essential to get you life back on track. Don’t go through it alone. Contact an experienced Illinois family law attorney today.