In the first six months of this year, 1.85 million couples registered for divorce with the civil affairs authority alone, an increase of more than 10 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Three decades ago, in 1986, 460,000 couples registered their divorces with the civil affairs authority – the most common route taken. By 2016, that annual number had risen to 4.15 million.
The average age at which people in China get married is 26, according to a 2015 survey by the All-China Women’s Federation.
Many relationship experts and lawyers put the rising divorce rate down to higher expectations and growing financial independence, especially among women.
But buried in the sharply climbing statistics lies a darker truth: domestic violence and extramarital affairs together are the leading causes of divorce in China.
Beijing No 2 Intermediate People’s Court said in March that 93 per cent of its divorce cases in the past year involved domestic violence or extramarital affairs.
Three decades ago, in 1986, 460,000 couples registered their divorces with the civil affairs authority – the most common route taken. By 2016, that annual number had risen to 4.15 million.
The average age at which people in China get married is 26, according to a 2015 survey by the All-China Women’s Federation.
Many relationship experts and lawyers put the rising divorce rate down to higher expectations and growing financial independence, especially among women.
But buried in the sharply climbing statistics lies a darker truth: domestic violence and extramarital affairs together are the leading causes of divorce in China.
Beijing No 2 Intermediate People’s Court said in March that 93 per cent of its divorce cases in the past year involved domestic violence or extramarital affairs.
