Major League Bump. I couldn't agree with this piece more. And I am one of the extremely lucky ones who has been happily married for 15 years with no significant marital strife. Yet I fully realize that if my wife was so inclined, she could, with one visit to the police station and one false report, destroy my life utterly and totally. I will lose access to my kids, lose my home, lose everything that I have been working for these past 20 years. On top of that, a significant portion of my future earnings will be diverted to her (even though she has her own career) and a claim will even be made on my 401(k) retirement plan. This is just plain wrong and even though my marriage has been good and I am very fortunate, knowing what I know now, if I had to do my life over again, I would never get married and never have kids. I have seen way too many of my friends and family members get screwed over by vindicative women who have all the laws and courts on their side.
There is also some poetic justice in seeing those unmarried women bitch about not being able to find a husband as those are usually the most likely women to latch on to a man eking out a decent living and pull such a scam. Fortunately men are finally wising up to them. I hope they stay freakin' miserable for the rest of their pathetic, unmarried lives.
"I will lose access to my kids, lose my home, lose everything that I have been working for these past 20 years. On top of that, a significant portion of my future earnings will be diverted to her (even though she has her own career) and a claim will even be made on my 401(k) retirement plan."
You are exactly right, because this is nearly what happened to me, except the kids were old enough to where I did not have to pay child support. And she got the house in lieu of any retirement benefits "owed" to her. Some trade, eh? All I had to do was wait nearly 25 years for retirement in order for that "trade" to be a good deal. And she thinks she gave me a good deal on the whole thing!!!