Shifting gender roles in society is impacting divorce rates. Many New Jersey marriages still retain traditional gender roles where the husband is the primary breadwinner and earns more than his wife. According to reports by Swedish researchers, marriages that begin with this dynamic and then change as a result of the wife having a career and then earning more than her husband have a higher chance in ending in divorce.
One reason for this may be the difficulties that some spouses have breaking out of traditional gender roles. As the wife’s career changes and as her pay equals or in some cases surpasses that of the husband, the dynamic inside the home changes. Wives who once had more time to focus on household chores and child rearing may not have the same amount of time to dedicate to these tasks. The husband finds himself taking on more responsibilities within the home. This upsets the traditional gender balance, making it difficult for some husbands to adapt.
Many men view their career as being more important than that of their spouse and take pride in seeing themselves as the primary breadwinner. The newfound success of their wife can be threatening. Some husbands react as if their position within the home is being attacked. They become more controlling, more demanding and suspicious of their wife.
As their wives earn more, some husbands may start to work less but still not take on more responsibility inside the home. This can cause frustration within the marriage that may be the precursor to divorce.
A family law attorney may represent their client during the divorce proceedings to provide advice on prenuptial agreements, visitation schedules where children are involved and custody hearings. An attorney may be able to provide advice on how property should be divided as well as other practical issues that come up during the divorce proceedings.
