Citing high divorce rates as proof, same-sex marriage advocates have long argued that heterosexuals have not done a great job of keeping marriage sacred. But three states are brewing a plan to combat the trend by reforming no-fault divorce.
Under no-fault divorce -- the law in all 50 states -- all that's required is one unhappy spouse. He or she doesn't need a reason to end the marriage. Since no-fault divorce swept the nation in the 1970s, 38 million marriages have dissolved, according to Mike McManus, cofounder of Marriage Savers.
"(No-fault divorce) has destroyed or . . . scarred the lives of 35 million children who are now, as they grow up, finding it very difficult to bond with someone of the opposite sex," he told Family News in Focus.
While 27 states have passed constitutional amendments affirming marriage as being between one man and one woman -- efforts McManus applauds -- he wonders why divorce isn’t being addressed as well.
Three states want to change that. Michigan, Wisconsin and Virginia are considering mutual-consent divorce proposals; meaning both spouses must agree to split, if there are children involved. The proposals include exceptions for abuse and adultery.
Julaine Appling, executive director of the Family Research Institute of Wisconsin, said the government can change the perception of the institution.
"When we allow people to enter into marriage with the understanding that they can walk away from that vow for no cause, and the other spouse cannot contest it," she said, "we're sending a message to young people that marriage is not permanent."
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about the state of marriage in the U.S., read Glenn T. Stanton's article, "How is Marriage Dying in Our Culture?"
