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'These Boots are Made for Walking': Why Most Divorce Filers are Women
American Law and Economics Review ^ | 2000 | Margaret Friedlander Brinig, Douglas Allen

Posted on 09/06/2005 11:05:03 AM PDT by ExitPurgamentum

by Margaret Friedlander Brinig, Douglas Allen

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'These Boots are Made for Walking': Why Most Divorce Filers are Women


MARGARET F. BRINIG
University of Iowa, College of Law
DOUGLAS W. ALLEN
Simon Fraser University



 

 
Abstract:     
Because of the financial and social hardship faced after divorce, most people assume that generally husbands have instigated divorce since the introduction of no-fault divorce. Yet women file for divorce and are often the instigators of separation, despite a deep attachment to their children and the evidence that many divorces harm children. Furthermore, divorced women in large numbers reveal that they are happier than they were while married. They report relief and certainty that they were right in leaving their marriages. This fundamental puzzle suggests that the incentives to divorce require a reexamination, and that the forces affecting the net benefits from marriage may be quite complicated, and perhaps asymmetric between men and women. This paper considers women's filing as rational behavior, based on spouses' relative power in the marriage, their opportunities following divorce, and their anticipation of custody.



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: divorce; women
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To: Cicero
Decent people are the ones who get the short end of the stick.

Not always. We had a case in our neighborhood where the court saw through the cheating, lying mom and left her out in the cold. A usually liberal court system called it for the decent guy. There may be hope.

21 posted on 09/06/2005 11:33:28 AM PDT by lizma
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To: Chickensoup
Many people do not get a divorce and a check. Some of us make do with trying to raise 5 kids with under 1000 of support a month.

And you get the 1000 bucks via bank transfer instead?

The stats are that before kids, it's about a 50/50 split whether it's the female or male that instigates a divorce. After the kids, it's generally the female.

Get a divorce, get the kids, get the money. Then marry someone else. That's the norm.

Let's don't swap ancedotal stories. It's meaningless, and mine is likely better than yours.

22 posted on 09/06/2005 11:34:56 AM PDT by narby (You shall name Him Prego and He shall bring in a new era of love.)
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To: rintense
Too many people get married for all the wrong reasons.

Can't be stated often enough.

23 posted on 09/06/2005 11:34:57 AM PDT by kstewskis ("I don't know what I know, but I know that it's big..." Jerry Fletcher)
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To: misterrob

I agree.


24 posted on 09/06/2005 11:36:47 AM PDT by HitmanLV
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To: lizma

Good to hear it.

Also, I have noticed that in the long run decent people live happier lives, even if they are impoverished, whereas selfish people may make off with the money and kids, but they aren't necessarily happier in the end. They have to live with themselves.


25 posted on 09/06/2005 11:37:18 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: rintense
Too many people get married for all the wrong reasons

And the right reason(s)...?

Just curious.

26 posted on 09/06/2005 11:37:24 AM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: ExitPurgamentum

bump 4 later


27 posted on 09/06/2005 11:38:29 AM PDT by Centurion2000 (An elected Legislature can trample a man's rights as easy as a King can.)
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To: narby
WHAT? Yeah that *works calculator* average of $34 per month is a real big incentive. Yessiree.

HE left. I simply applauded. He can take his young girlfriends-R-us, Peter Pan attitude and weed habit and cram it.

Child is a gold star Girl Scout, Red Belt in Karate, does 20+ hours of volunteer work a week including some Sunday School, honor roll student. Her father has NOTHING to do with it. Including funding. At all. None. Zilch. Zero. -0-.

It's not necessarily "oh, the mom's so much happier without him". It's more like lesser of two evils. Shall I have stayed and presented my daughter with an example that includes allowing the man to hump whatever and walk around in a smoke filled non-employed haze all his life with the full support of his wife, or should I take a stand and show her what a woman does when the man won't come to the table like an adult?

Do yerself a favor and don't make global comments. The author of this article is as guilty as you are of assuming everyone is the same in the same situation. It's bull.

28 posted on 09/06/2005 11:38:33 AM PDT by Hi Heels (Guns kill and cause crime? Dang, mine must be malfunctioning....)
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To: misterrob
Who needs a man who would rather screw around on the side than take care of business with his children?

Unless he's gay, then there's another woman involved here too. Sad to see she get's no share of the blame in your eyes.

When women go after the "other woman" with the same vitriol they reserve for men, then maybe some of this stuff would end.

29 posted on 09/06/2005 11:38:57 AM PDT by narby (You shall name Him Prego and He shall bring in a new era of love.)
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To: narby
When women go after the "other woman" with the same vitriol they reserve for men, then maybe some of this stuff would end

The husband is responsible for his own actions. As far as I'm concerned the "other woman" was nothing more than a receptacle. She made no vow. HE did.

30 posted on 09/06/2005 11:45:05 AM PDT by Hi Heels (Guns kill and cause crime? Dang, mine must be malfunctioning....)
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To: Hi Heels
Do yerself a favor and don't make global comments.

No global comments. Just that since no-fault divorce, many women have taken advantage to get knocked up, then take the kids and the money and hang with the other guy.

I never claimed that was universal, only the average.

Let's not swap the ancedotal stories. I'll start in with the no-account that my ex took up with who ended up being a child rapist. I had two daughters under 10 at the time.

And by the way, I could no nada under our states laws to get custody, and he moved back into the house after a much too short jail term.

I'd have rather he smoked dope and sat around all day.

31 posted on 09/06/2005 11:47:11 AM PDT by narby (You shall name Him Prego and He shall bring in a new era of love.)
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To: ExitPurgamentum

Because they're the ones who get the house, bank accounts, cars, alimony, and child support. Duh!


32 posted on 09/06/2005 11:48:04 AM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Hi Heels
As far as I'm concerned the "other woman" was nothing more than a receptacle. She made no vow. HE did.

So it's all legalisims eh. Not "right and wrong". Figures.

Hated men long?

33 posted on 09/06/2005 11:49:00 AM PDT by narby (You shall name Him Prego and He shall bring in a new era of love.)
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To: narby
When women go after the "other woman" with the same vitriol they reserve for men, then maybe some of this stuff would end

Are you serious? If a husband,or wife,fools around,his or her "friend" isn't part of the equation.Yes,one could argue that the "friend" should have enough character to stay away from a married person,but it's much more important to recognize that the married person shouldn't have had a "friend" in the first place.

34 posted on 09/06/2005 11:49:53 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative
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To: Hi Heels
He can take his young girlfriends-R-us, Peter Pan attitude and weed habit and cram it.

You MARRIED this guy?!?

35 posted on 09/06/2005 11:50:16 AM PDT by EricT.
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

To: narby
No global comments. Just that since no-fault divorce, many women have taken advantage to get knocked up, then take the kids and the money and hang with the other guy.

oh BULL. The single moms I know are in the pits. Bottom of the food chain. And I know plenty. I'd say, without a doubt, there are more dads running from child support than mommies retiring in the Bahamas on it.

Sorry you got hit, but generally speaking, you're way off base.

37 posted on 09/06/2005 11:52:31 AM PDT by Hi Heels (Guns kill and cause crime? Dang, mine must be malfunctioning....)
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To: EricT.
YOu married a woman who sleeps with baby rapers????!!! WHY??? OMG!!!!

Goes both ways pal.

38 posted on 09/06/2005 11:53:20 AM PDT by Hi Heels (Guns kill and cause crime? Dang, mine must be malfunctioning....)
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To: EricT.

Yeah. I married him 20+ years ago. People change. They evolve. We use to sacrafice virgins to volcano gods. Don't do that anymore either.


39 posted on 09/06/2005 11:54:51 AM PDT by Hi Heels (Guns kill and cause crime? Dang, mine must be malfunctioning....)
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To: ozzymandus
Didja hear about the newest Barbie Doll?

It's called "The Divorce Barbie".

It comes with all of Ken's things.

40 posted on 09/06/2005 11:56:52 AM PDT by CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC (The heart of the wise man inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. - Eccl. 10:2)
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