Sadly, 20 per cent of married couples feel trapped in their marriage, unable to leave due to the financial strain it would put upon them if they did.
Relationships on Female First
One in ten people feel that they are stuck in a loveless marriage and, shockingly, 15 per cent said they wish they had married someone else.
Men blamed an unsatisfying sex life on the decline of their marriage, whereas women said they weren’t having enough fun and worried about money too much.
A third of women admitted to considering ending their marriage but fear of not being able to cope financially made them remain in their marriage.
For men, it was the fear that it would badly affect the family that made them stick around.
Amanda McAlister, head of family law at Slater & Gordon, who commissioned the research, said, “There is still a prevailing attitude in society that you should stay together no matter how unhappy you are.
“Obviously divorce should always be the last course of action a couple takes, but the idea of hundreds of couples staying together despite being miserable because they worry about struggling financially is really sad to hear.
“Marriage when it works is fantastic but when it doesn’t it can be a terrible strain on both parties as well as any children involved.
“My work as a family lawyer for the last 15 years has seen both men and women that have stayed in relationships that were loveless for years longer than they wanted because they felt guilty or scared to be alone.
“But the reality is that divorce can be a liberating experience and studies have shown that children are happier if their parents are happy.”
To make things worse, a quarter of couples said that they were no longer in love.
Arguing over money and other family members were the issues most likely to drive a wedge between couples.
More than half of the respondents said they feel that their partner takes them for granted and named just under three years of marriage as the time when standards start to slip.
Sadly, our outlook on marriage is changing for the worst, with a third of people saying they doubt their marriage will last forever, and just over half saying marriage is for life.
To add to this, only 40 per cent feel that their marriage has turned out how they expected it to.
As for those who have children, 40 per cent admitted to simply staying together for their kids.
Amanda McAlister added, “Leaving an unhappy marriage no longer brings the same stigma it used to, people understand it’s often the best solution for all parties involved.
“My advice to anyone feeling trapped or unhappy is to seek legal advice as early as possible before making a decision either way.
“Get all the information you need beforehand and a good lawyer will always be able to put you in touch with mediators and counsellors to make sure the process is as painless as possible.
“With the right team behind you there is no need for you to find yourself struggling financially or feeling scared.”
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