The rise in family breakdown has now reached unprecedented levels, according to a recent study.
The 2011 General Lifestyle Survey Overview from the Office for National Statistics shows that by 2011 the number of single parent households reached 22%, as opposed to only 8% in 1971. Two-parent families have fallen from 92% at the beginning of the 1970s to a shocking 78%.
The survey noted other trends that were summarized by a report in the Express earlier today.
“The popularity of marriage has fallen as the proportion of single women aged 18 to 49 who have never married has doubled, up from just 18 per cent in 1979 to 43 per cent in 2011. The proportion of women of the same age who live with a partner, but are not married, has tripled from just 11 per cent to 34 per cent…
“Britain has become a lonelier place to live over the last 40 years with the number of people living alone almost doubling from nine per cent in 1973 to 16 per cent by 2011.”
“People aged 25-44 were five times more likely to be living alone in 2011 (10 per cent) than they were in 1973 (two per cent).”
The paper went on to quote Stephen Green, the National Director of Christian Voice, who commented on the social effect of family breakdown:
“Marriage is the best foundation on which to raise children, with all the evidence proving that time and time again.
“Successive governments have failed to support marriage as an institution, with the current Conservative-led Coalition ignoring promises of tax breaks while spending the time promoting gay marriage.
“The cost to our society and local communities is high – the children of unmarried parents do not do as well at school, are more likely to have health problems and grow up in poverty.”
Mr Green was not the only person who warned that this trend will be accelerated if Government’s plans to introduce same-sex ‘marriage’ are pushed through. In a paper presented at the Committee Stage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, Dr Patricia Morgan told Parliament that same-sex ‘marriage’ will reinforce the notion that marriage is irrelevant to parenthood.
“From what we know about demographic trends,” she declared in the 22-page paper, “it is preposterous to argue that people suddenly somehow embrace marriage and slow or reverse its decline because homosexuals can have it,” Dr Morgan said.
She continued:
“We can be certain that same sex marriage will do no such thing as encourage stable marriage whether for heterosexuals and/or homosexuals. Marriage in Scandinavia, Spain, Netherlands and elsewhere is in deep decline.”
“Same sex marriage is both an effect and a cause of the evisceration of marriage – especially the separation between this and parenthood.”
“If marriage is only about couple relationships, and is not intrinsically connected to parenthood, why not give the leavings to homosexuals?”
“As marriage is redefined to accommodate same-sex couples, this reinforces the irrelevance of marriage to parenthood.”
“Elsewhere, same sex marriage is an instigator for the casualisation of heterosexual unions and separation of marriage and parenthood.”
“Same sex marriage is more a terminus for marriage or ultimate act of dissolution, rather than a force for revival.”
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So, let’s get this straight: the divorced ‘but it wasn’t my fault’ Stephen Green bemoans the decline in marriage and blames homosexuals for it. What a lack of honesty, integrity and rationality!
If there’s a decline in marriage in the UK it’s can only be the result of factors other than same-sex marriage, which, it has not escaped your attention as you keep harping on about it, gay people haven’t yet got.
You also suggest the decline in other countries where same-sex marriage does exists is a consequence of it. Where, as you’re fond of saying, is your evidence for this implied cause and effect? Oops… there isn’t any – as you well know.
Keep the false witness coming, Stephen. your Lord must be proud of you.
What a weird comment. Nowhere in the article above have I or anyone blamed homosexuals for the decline in marriage.
“The cost to our society and local communities is high – the children of unmarried parents do not do as well at school, are more likely to have health problems and grow up in poverty.”
What a load of rubbish. I am a single dad and have never heard such nonsense. Please provide me with examples. Me, Netmums and others would be very happy to prove you wrong. What an insult. You should be very ashamed.
I agree with Tim. What a lot of tosh. My husband left town unexpectedly in a car he had not paid for, when I was 5 months pregnant and never supported us. I was able to work and eventually save to buy a home for us. We have never been a burden on the taxpayer. I have met many women like me. I was lucky.
Some prefer to get an education so that they can get a well paid job where they can support themselves. If they want to have children they could buy a home and support them without the need of a man (or woman). Some men – and some women – are just not marriageable material, but make good parents.
The article is talking statistics, Barbara. Many aren’t as lucky as you.