ASSESSING THE SOCIOECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF INCREASING DIVORCE RATE IN FAISALABAD DIVISION, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Divorce is a major societal issue as it destabilizes the basic family unit in the society. Pakistan, like many other nations, has been experiencing alarming increase in the rates of divorce. Though divorce, in some instances, would be a relief to continued misery, it usually results in annihilation of family goals, dreams, and goals, resulting in severe emotional pain and leaving the children uncertain of their future. In most instances, divorce would lead to a decrease in the total income of the parties involved and also a greater burden on the parties. The separation of resources and legal costs is another drain on financial assets that decreases the level of economic stability. Research has indicated that women, especially those who have divorced experience more financial difficulty than men. This paper explores what is causing the rising divorce rate and evaluates the socio-economic implications of the current trend in Faisalabad Division, Pakistan. The research was carried out within Faisalabad Division in the Province of Punjab, through purposive multistage sampling method. Purposive sampling was used to select 120 respondents who were then sampled using snowball. Data collection was conducted by a well-designed pre-tested questionnaire. Two models were used in the study, a bivariate probit regression model to determine the socio-economic consequences of divorce, and a model of logistic regression to determine those factors that affect the rate of divorce. The results suggest that people in financial problems are more likely to get divorced, and media addiction also influences the divorce rate positively, but marginally. This research highlights the complexity of divorce, and the factors which effectively lead to divorce include financial stress, female economic autonomy, lack of employment by husbands, and age among other factors which might need further inquiry with more population so as to have a full understanding of what they do.