Divorce is the legal dissolution of marriage. It is distinguished from annulment, which declares a marriage void from the time of its celebration. A divorce must be certified by a court of law, as a legal action is needed to dissolve the prior legal act of marriage. In many developed countries, divorce rates have increased markedly during the twentieth century. Among the states in which divorce has become commonplace are the United States, South Korea and members of the European Union.

The number of divorces in many countries rose to alarming rates throughout the twentieth-century with almost half of unions ending with the filing of divorce papers. According to a National Center for Health Statistics in the United States, approximately 3,000 couples in the US get divorced each day - well over 1 million per year. 20-25% of these people are divorcing for the second or third time. Germany’s divorce rate has risen beyond the 200,000-a-year mark, thus affecting over 400,000 spouses and 170,000 school children. In Chandigarh, India, more marriages than ever before are ending in divorce. In 1997, only 216 cases of divorce were filed by residents in district courts; in the fifth year of the new millennium, the number reached 900 and later reached a thousand. The National Statistical Office of Korea said 167,100 couples divorced in 2003, compared to 145,300 the previous year. Numerous causes explain this particular jump in divorce rates.

A study carried out in the United Kingdom in 2004 confirmed that infidelity is the major cause of divorce. According to this survey, it was deduced that, in 75% of the cases, men are engaged in extra-marital affairs, and women in 25%. Such an example is Korea. Many Koreans believe the rising divorce rate reflects the decline of traditional values, along with the impact of western lifestyles and the pressures of modern urban life. Consequently, nearly 70% of the divorced couples ended their marriages because of infidelity. Moreover, it has been widely argued that expansion of the economic system through industrialization weakens the family and raises divorce rates. In most general terms, the causes of divorce involve a breakdown or lack of communication and commitment. Nowadays, women are no more housewives, meant only to look after the kids. Both husband and wife work to earn more and strive for a better standard of living. This has indeed led to a lack of communication between the couple and, with time, the situation becomes critical due to continuous quarrels and divorce seems to be the only solution.

Furthermore, domestic violence exists between many couples, and forms part of the numerous reasons behind divorce. A 1992 national survey by the Family Violence Prevention Fund found that 13% of women surveyed had been physically attacked by their partner. According to the FBI, domestic violence claims the lives of women each day. Almost every nation in the world is presently facing an increasing divorce rate. In Mauritius, over a period of two years, from January 2004 to March 2006, the police have registered 12,751 cases, of which 1,788 are for the first three months of this year. Many forms of domestic violence have been defined by the United Nations, namely physical abuse, sexual, psychological and economic. The causes of such savage acts are mainly alcohol, drugs and financial problems. It can be in the form of a petty slap or severe injuries inflicted by means of sharp weapons or lethal burn or scalds on victims. The authors of such outrageous acts are not only men but also women.

However, in some countries like Malta and the Philippines, the likelihood of a divorce is rare. In those countries, civil marriages are for life and civil divorce is banned.

Few people now suppose that increase in divorce rates signifies a general decrease in the happiness of marriages. High marital stability does not necessarily mean high levels of marital happiness. It may mean only that the emotional significance of the marital relationship for married individuals is not very great. Increases in the divorce rates of many countries are an indication of decreasing tolerance for emotionally unsatisfying marriages and the general acceptance of divorce as the solution to the problem.

Marriage is in the process of being defined as a temporary relationship, to be maintained only as long as it helps both partners get what they want out of life.

<B>Keshini HEERAMUN</B> <I>Lower 6</I></B>