Marriages have seen a drastic change in the last decade or so. More women are opting to not marry, and even those who are married are choosing not to stay in bad relationships. Back in the day, marriages used to last a lifetime, unlike today, especially in India. Of course, back then, women didn’t have the agency or freedom to break out of toxic cycles. That’s not the case today. Women have found their voice and they are no longer willing to be intimidated into staying in bad marriages. The taboo around divorce hasn’t vanished, but the subject is a lot more acceptable today than it was even 10 years ago. According to studies, India used to have the lowest divorce rate at 1.1%, but the past few decades have seen a sharp rise in divorces in the country. And women have been increasingly initiating divorce proceedings. Here’s why.

Mental, physical, and emotional abuse

Cases of domestic abuse and emotional harassment haven’t really gone down over the years. Women are still abused physically and sexually leading to them choosing to end the marriage rather than remain stuck in it. Similarly, there are a lot of cases of mental harassment which push the woman to seek a divorce.

Adultery

Infidelity is another reason women choose to leave their marriages. And it is not just married men who cheat, there are a lot of cases where women cheat on their husbands as well. Though some couples weather the storm of extramarital affairs, a lot of them choose to go their separate ways instead.

Related: You Cheated On Your Partner. What Next?

Incompatibility

Incompatibility can be of various kinds – sexual, intellectual, or even emotional. Some people get divorced because they are sexually incompatible while others choose to break off the relationship due to emotional incompatibilities. These could be seemingly small things like one partner not checking up on the other, acting indifferent, or not being supportive.

Miscommunication

Many couples separate due to a lack of communication, especially in arranged marriages. Miscommunication can be due to family issues, financial issues,  or disagreeing on household management or how to care for the kids. If a couple doesn’t communicate their expectations and desires, the chances of the relationship not surviving are high.

Unequal gender roles

Women are no longer willing to settle for the bare minimum. So, unequal, traditional gender roles don’t bode well for a modern-day marriage. Holding on to gender roles defined by the patriarchy where a woman is relegated to the kitchen and the man goes out to work will not work in the 21^st century. The inequality often leads to one partner feeling burdened by responsibilities leading to unhappiness and, eventually, a separation.

Divorce is not a bad thing. In fact, if a relationship is not working out, it is better to end it. Holding on to a broken relationship will only lead to despair and frustration. Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court Geeta Luthra addresses the same in a recent podcast with AfterHours with All About Eve. She talks about what the laws in India say about divorce, alimony, custody, and more.

Watch the episode here.

Related: How To React To Someone’s Divorce: Aunty Eve’s Tips To Be A Decent Person