1. Marriage and the Family
Changing attitudes to divorce in the UK

2. Main Facts
It used to be difficult to divorce and divorced people were looked down on. Divorced people could not remarry in Church.
Today, divorce is accepted and no one looks down on divorced people. There are lots of divorces, and as many as two out of five marriages will end in divorce.

3. The probable reason for these changing attitudes are:
It is easier and cheaper to divorce
People live longer, so they spend a longer time together (the average marriage lasted ten years a hundred years ago – just about the same as it does now)
Women are less prepared to put up with bad treatment from their husbands than they used to
Women do not depend on their husbands for money, so they can afford to divorce

4. Key Facts
Fifty years ago there were few divorces, people were looked down at if people divorced and remarriage was rare.
Today divorce is accepted, two in five marriages end in divorce and remarriage is normal.
The changes may have been caused by cheaper divorce and women having more equality

5. Key Words
Faithfulness – staying with your marriage partner and only having sex with them.
Remarriage – marrying again after being divorced.