he NEVER bought a house nor a car during our marriage, so i didn't get any house or car. he left when my daughter was 2 weeks old because he decided he didn't want kids after all (3 years into the marriage). he has always worked low paying jobs to avoid paying any substantive child support.
2nd ex-hubbie has NEVER paid child support whatsoever and his son is soon to turn 15. he is a single man on welfare for the last 13 years. i ALWAYS had to support my family with little , actually NO help from daddykins, so, no, it doesn't always work in the woman's favor, and i'm living proof of that. i'll agree that many men have been shafted out there, and, having been shafted twice, i feel for them; however, it is much more difficult for a woman to make a living (given same educational level and background) than it is for a man. if a woman wants to earn over $22K a year in NY, she either has to have AT LEAST a 4 year degree (something i DON'T have), or be a stripper (something i would never stoop to).