Almost three-quarters of divorced people believe a ‘no-fault’ divorce system could make married couples less concerned about going back on their vows.
In a survey of over 1,000 divorcees, a law firm which backs such a change found that over 70 per cent believe people may become “more blasé”.
A pro-marriage campaign group warned no-fault divorce would leave people at the mercy of abusive partners.
‘Out of love’
In England and Wales, a couple must prove their marriage has ‘irretrievably broken down’.
Divorce claimants must cite adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, two years’ separation when the divorce is consensual or five years’ separation otherwise.
Law firm Slater and Gordon ran the survey, which it claimed showed support for introducing no-fault divorce.
It backed giving people who had “simply fallen out of love” the option to divorce.
Blasé
The firm also reported that “72 percent said the option may make couples more blasé about getting a divorce”.
Responding, Thomas Pascoe of the Coalition for Marriage said: “No-fault divorce would further diminish the status of marriage and leave some men and women at the mercy of cheating or controlling partners.”
In July, the UK Supreme Court ruled against a woman, Tini Owens, who was seeking to divorce her husband on the grounds that she is unhappy.
Damage
A judgment in Mrs Owen’s favour would have effectively introduced no-fault divorce by the back door.
Director of The Christian Institute Colin Hart has stressed that: “Society has an interest in trying to keep marriages together”, and warned that no-fault divorce would damage families.