September 07, 2011: High Divorce Rates in the South
By April Lopez

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Every time people watch the Holiday Inn Express commercials, they can't help but laugh since they all think it's outrageous to see the main characters fly a helicopter, prevent a nuclear meltdown or give smart advice just because they stayed at Holiday Inn Express last night.

According to them, it is outrageous for someone to do these things without training.

But the irony is, a lot of couples also enter marriage, have children and get divorce without the so-called training.

Couples get married thinking that love is all that matters and no training is required. When they have troubles in their marriages, they try to fix it. However, if it doesn't work, then they file for divorce.

For some, it never occurs to them that perhaps asking help from someone with proper training might save their marriage.

People who have been married for a long period of time know that love isn't the only thing in a marriage.

Divorce isn't easy. It has a great impact on the couple, the children, friends, co-workers, extended family and the community.

An interesting information was recently revealed about men, women and children related to marriage and divorce in the South.

According to a released report from the 2009 American Community Survey, men and women in the South had higher rates of divorce than any other regions in the country.

Diana Elliott, a family demographer at the U.S. Census Bureau said, divorce rates are higher in the South simply because marriage rates are also higher.

Several studies showed that people marry younger in the Southern region.

The waiting period to get a divorce in most Southern states is 90 days while it takes 6 to 12 months in Northern states.

Findings also revealed that women who divorced in the previous 12 months were more likely to get public assistance than divorced men.

27 percent of women who divorced in the past 12 months had less than $25,000 in their household income while people who married in the previous 12 months were more likely to be in households with $75,000 income or more annually.

In addition, children staying with a recently divorced parent were more likely to be below poverty level and staying with their parents' unwed partner.

And studies also indicate that children who live with their parents' unmarried partner are 33 percent more likely to be abused.

Since the children will be seeing all these, they will eventually be interested in marriage. But sadly, a marriage with unhealthy examples.

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