Recently, the topic of "divorce" seems to be extremely popular.
A few days ago, a topic about "a sudden surge in divorces in Shenzhen, requiring appointments for divorces" became a trending topic on Weibo. The report indicated that, historically, the total number of divorces in Shenzhen rarely exceeds one-third of the total number of marriages during the same period. However, by April of this year, the total number of divorces in Shenzhen had reached 84% of the total number of marriages!
Meanwhile, all divorce appointment slots on the Shenzhen Civil Affairs Bureau's online marriage appointment system were fully booked by June 16, with zero slots remaining, truly making it "extremely difficult to get an appointment."
The recent popularity of the South Korean drama "The World of the Married" sparked heated discussions about marriage. Why are there more and more divorces these days?
The divorce rate continues to rise
In 2018, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Civil Affairs showed that in 2017, there were 10.108 million marriages and 3.8 million divorces nationwide. Shenzhen had the highest divorce rate at 36.25%, ranking among the top three in the country and first in Guangdong Province.
According to data released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs in January of this year, marriage registration offices nationwide processed 9.471 million marriage registrations and 4.154 million divorce registrations in 2019 (note: the divorce-to-marriage ratio was 43.8%), and reissued 4.034 million marriage and divorce certificates. The marriage and divorce rates for 2019 are still being compiled; please refer to the officially released data for accuracy.
In addition, since 2003, my country's divorce rate has risen for 15 consecutive years, from 0.55‰ in 1987 to 3.2‰ in 2017. The divorce rate in 2018 was the same as the previous year.
Why are more and more people getting divorced?
1. Unwilling to settle. The initial intention of marriage is to build a better life and spend the rest of one's life with the one they love. However, some people marry simply to make do or to meet the expectations of others. Such marriages have many problems from the start, making divorce unsurprising. The rising divorce rate indicates that people are taking responsibility for their lives, are increasingly unwilling to settle or compromise, and are increasingly pursuing pure life experiences.
2. Female independence. In ancient times, women lived dependent on their husbands, were economically dependent, and needed to ask their husbands for money. Divorce meant the loss of economic power. But now, with women's economic independence, they have the confidence to live independently, no longer passively accepting insults or beatings, and are no longer afraid of divorce.
3. Legal protection and support. In marriage, as long as the relationship between husband and wife breaks down, or one party commits domestic violence, infidelity, or other illegal or criminal acts, they can appeal for divorce, and the law supports this. Furthermore, the national pension system is becoming increasingly comprehensive, with most elderly people receiving pensions. They don't need to worry about being abandoned by their children or becoming homeless after a divorce; their later years are secure, thus providing a safe haven for divorce.
4. Decreased sense of responsibility. As times change, people become more open-minded, and their sense of responsibility diminishes. Too many external temptations make them unable to resist, leading to unforgivable and unacceptable behavior from their partners, ultimately causing a once-intact family to fall apart.
Marriage is complex, and the reasons for divorce are varied. If a person is not mature enough to handle the problems that will arise after marriage, it is best not to enter into marriage.
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