April, 3, 2013, Lansing, MI-There are a number of reasons that Michigan couples decide to end their marriages, but attorneys in the UK are noticing a dramatic increase in cases where men cite “Sex in the City” drinking as their reason for divorcing their wives.
It was once a prevailing stereotype; the wife at home waiting for her husband to return from the bar after having a few drinks. But in the 21st century, roles have reversed, and now women got to the bar to blow off steam after work and network, while their husbands wait at home for them to return, hence the moniker “Sex in the City” drinking; so named after the popular television show.
A UK firm that specializes in family law, says they have 40 to 50 cases a year where drinking has driven a wedge between a couple, and it’s mostly the men who complain of excessive drinking. Lead attorney for the firm Amanda McAllister told the Daily Mail, that there has been a 70 percent increase in cases where men accuse their wives of drinking too much.
“The traditional image of the husband spending too long at the pub, while the obedient wife tended to the children is far less common than it was only ten or fifteen years ago,” McAllister said. “Many of the men who come to me say their wives often don’t come home until 4am.”
Even more troublesome for many some husbands are the wives who drink at home because of anxiety or depression. ‘Home drinkers,’ the Daily Mail says, typically drink large amounts often in secret.
McAllister said, “Husbands will often initially cite a different reason for divorce, such as that their wife doesn’t work or help around the house.” But in the course of a case, they soon discover that women aren’t helping around the house because they have a hangover.
This isn’t the first study to emerge where drinking plays a pivotal role in divorce. Last year, a study from Norway found that couples who drink equivalent amounts have more successful marriages. When one spouse drinks more than the other their marriage has higher chance of ending in divorce. Additionally, the researchers found that marriages where the woman drinks more than her husband had a 28 percent chance of ending in divorce, significantly higher than marriages where the man drinks more.
The findings from the Norway study confirm what the attorneys in the UK are experiencing, but divorce is just as complicated. Leaving a spouse is difficult and the reasons marriages fail impact all aspects of divorce from child custody to spousal support.
If a couple has children, divorcing parents must put the concerns of their children first and foremost; child custody is often the most contentious issue divorce attorneys deal with. Unfortunately, children can be put in the middle of their parent’s conflicts and their interest can sometimes fall to the wayside.
When a Michigan parent finds themselves in the midst of a divorce, family law attorney Stu Shafer is the right man to assist them with their case. Mr. Shafer’s top priority is making certain your divorce settlement provides emotional and financial security for you and your children.
