When Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith announced their divorce after 18 years together, it elicited shock from some and a shrug from others. The couple made no secret about their marital troubles, with Antonio Banderas telling AARP magazine in 2011, “We have had as many problems as anybody. We’ve never hidden it.”
His honesty is refreshing, but sadly the couple could not work through their problems any longer. Griffith filed from divorce from Banderas in May, citing irreconcilable differences. She also requested spousal support, child support and sole physical and joint legal custody of their 17-year-old daughter.
So while most people were unsurprised by the split, many were left to wonder: why divorce after so many years?
Gray Divorce—Why Divorce Rates are Rising for Couples Married More than 25 Years
While Banderas and Griffith were married 18 years, statistics show that the divorce rate is rising for couples married more than 25 years. For the first time, more Americans aged 50 and older are divorced than widowed. The divorce rate among people aged 50 and older has doubled since 1990, according to census data.
Divorce rates in this age group have increased so much that the trend has been given a name: gray divorce. What could be the reason for this trend? For one thing, divorce has become more acceptable in recent years. A couple who may have felt stigmatized in years past can now divorce without guilt.
People are also living longer. Empty nesters at 65 may wonder what their lives will look like after 20 more years in an unhappy marriage. Researchers also believe the trend could have to do with women’s changing expectations in marriage. With equality in the workplace, women no longer have to stay in a marriage that isn’t working. They can support themselves financially with their own careers rather than relying on their husband’s income.
Divorce Lawyers in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Are you in a long-term marriage and ready to move on? You don’t have to go through the process of divorce alone. Instead, have a divorce lawyer from Sandia Family Law at your side to take you through every step of the divorce process in New Mexico. For a FREE consultation with an Albuquerque, NM, divorce lawyer, contact us at 505-247-1726.