Divorce is a common legal issue that affects many Georgia families each year. From households across the state and in every type of neighborhood, individuals decide that it is a better option to live apart than it is to continue to live with their spouses. However, divorce has been viewed differently at different periods of time in the country. While it is now an acceptable option for those who wish to pursue it, it was once a stigmatized practice.
In centuries past couples often opted to separate instead officially and legally end their unions. There were less than one divorce per thousand marriages, though over time that statistic changed. The rise of women in the workforce during World War I and World War II advanced the idea that women could exist on their own without the financial power of men.
The 1960’s and 1970’s represented the peak of the divorce era in the United States, as women took control of their own lives. However, as more people accepted that divorce could be a socially acceptable practice, the trend began to decline as the decades moved on. Today, social trends like marrying later, finding financial independence before marriage, and others have led to fewer marriages ending in divorce.
Whatever the era and whatever the time, individuals have the freedom to decide if they want to marry and if they want to end their legal relationships. When they choose to divorce, they have the power to consult with legal professionals who work in the family law and divorce fields who can provide them with the information that they need to meet their expectations and goals.