DIVORCED men are more likely to remarry after a divorce than women according to data from Statistics SA.
Johannesburg psychologist Asiphe Ndlela says many women are hesitant to remarry after a divorce, especially soon after the dissolution of the marriage is finalised. Ndlela says many people are discouraged because very few second marriages are successful.
She says studies show that 60% of second marriages fail.
Ndlela says the problem is made more difficult by stepchildren involved in the second marriage.
She says that the distribution of household labour was a reason that men remarried.
She says most men require a lot of care and need somebody to cook, clean the house and do laundry.
Women do not remarry as often because they are not sure why they should.
In fact, most feel there is nothing in it for them.
"Because women are expected to do household chores over and above their career jobs, it makes sense that a newly divorced woman will be extremely reluctant to walk right back into the same sort of situation from which she has just extricated herself."
On the other hand, a newly divorced man wants to get married again because he is used to having help with household chores.
Another noticeable trend is that women are far more likely to file for divorce than men. The reason, Ndlela says, is that women know they are not going to lose their children when they got divorced.
"In most cases, courts favour maternal custody. This is the greatest encouragement for women to divorce, and the greatest discouragement to men who fear losing custody of their children," she says.
Ndlela says another reason why women are more likely to divorce than men is that unlike before when women were often entirely financially dependent on men, relationship skills now matter more than the man's earning potential.
Many couples are getting together for the joy of having another person to share their life with, rather than for material reasons.
Ndlela also adds that because men often bear the financial brunt of divorce, finding themselves supporting the family they have left behind and somehow having to finance a new roof over their own head, makes it hard for them to initiate divorce.
If they meet someone new, they are then faced with the prospect of supporting their new partner and additional children.
Men more likely to give marriage a second chance
DIVORCED men are more likely to remarry after a divorce than women according to data from Statistics SA.
Johannesburg psychologist Asiphe Ndlela says many women are hesitant to remarry after a divorce, especially soon after the dissolution of the marriage is finalised. Ndlela says many people are discouraged because very few second marriages are successful.
She says studies show that 60% of second marriages fail.
Ndlela says the problem is made more difficult by stepchildren involved in the second marriage.
She says that the distribution of household labour was a reason that men remarried.
She says most men require a lot of care and need somebody to cook, clean the house and do laundry.
Women do not remarry as often because they are not sure why they should.
In fact, most feel there is nothing in it for them.
"Because women are expected to do household chores over and above their career jobs, it makes sense that a newly divorced woman will be extremely reluctant to walk right back into the same sort of situation from which she has just extricated herself."
On the other hand, a newly divorced man wants to get married again because he is used to having help with household chores.
Another noticeable trend is that women are far more likely to file for divorce than men. The reason, Ndlela says, is that women know they are not going to lose their children when they got divorced.
"In most cases, courts favour maternal custody. This is the greatest encouragement for women to divorce, and the greatest discouragement to men who fear losing custody of their children," she says.
Ndlela says another reason why women are more likely to divorce than men is that unlike before when women were often entirely financially dependent on men, relationship skills now matter more than the man's earning potential.
Many couples are getting together for the joy of having another person to share their life with, rather than for material reasons.
Ndlela also adds that because men often bear the financial brunt of divorce, finding themselves supporting the family they have left behind and somehow having to finance a new roof over their own head, makes it hard for them to initiate divorce.
If they meet someone new, they are then faced with the prospect of supporting their new partner and additional children.
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