Was the divorce rate lower in the past because there was no forensic pathologists?

[SwampG8r]

until this century, the demise of a person was unlikely to be ascribed to unnatural causes by scientific detection. it would have been easy, in fact, in rural environs, normal, to bury deceased persons without medical examination,thereby masking murders.
discuss....

[grasswire]

1. The divorce rate was lower prior to the "no-fault" revisions to the law

Prior to that, a person had to prove mental cruelty or infidelity or some other cause to gain a divorce.

[TorchTheWitch]

2. I think it also had a lot to do with societal view of divorce

Not so long ago people (particularly women) were vilified for getting divorced. Society generally expected that married people were to stay married all their lives regardless of what hardships they had to endure.

A lot of it also probably had to do with the lack of jobs for women in order that they could take care of themselves or any children. Women weren't raised to be independent people. They were expected to marry, and if they didn't carried a the burden of being thought of as a worthless "old maid". From birth it was drummed into them that their purpose in life was to marry and have children. Seeing that a divorced women was looked down on so much if they did divorce no decent man would have them, so it wasn't just a failure of the marriage it was seen by society (and usually felt by the woman) that it was failure of their duty in life.

[grasswire]

3. question: which of this is progress?

progress for society?

progress for children?

progress for women?

progress for men?

There are an awful lot of women who have suffered mightily, mightily as single parents.

There are a lot of single non-custodial fathers who just can't pay child support and their own expenses, and who don't seen enough of their children.

There are too many children who grow up without a father's care and love.

There are too many courts making too much money from family issues, and too many lawyers doing the same.

On the other hand, there were many people who suffered in dysfunctional or loveless marriages previously.