Throughout the country, divorce has become a common enough occurrence that many people speak of the process very casually. The seriousness of divorce, as a result, is frequently underestimated. For example, in the 2011 film Crazy Stupid Love, the main character’s work colleagues laugh and celebrate when they discover that he is “merely” getting a divorce and does not have cancer. Such a casual attitude leads many to believe that when a marriage is experiencing problems, it is easy to ask the court to dissolve the relationship. The reality, however, is rather different.

Irreconcilable Differences

According to Illinois law, a judgment of divorce will only be granted on the grounds that “irreconcilable differences have caused the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.” The law goes on to say that the court must also determine that attempts to save the marriage have failed or that future efforts toward reconciliation would be unreasonable and not in the family’s best interests. But, what does that mean?

Infidelity, also known as adultery, is also known as cheating. No matter what you call it, the fact is that it often destroys marriages. Approximately 17 percent of the divorces that happen in the United States today are because of one partner's infidelity. If you suspect your partner is committing infidelity, talk to him or her about it. Express your concern about his or her activities – although he or she might deny that he or she is cheating, it is important that you make your suspicions known and you discuss them in a calm, rational manner. Do not, under any circumstance, attempt to harm your partner or his or her alleged affair partner as an attempt to punish him or her or end the infidelity. Sometimes, marriages survive infidelity. Other times, divorce is the right answer for the couple. But violence is never the answer.

Between One Third and One Half of American Adults Commit Infidelity

Statistics show that approximately 30 to 40 percent of American adults engage in infidelity at least once in their lives. Despite this, nearly all (approximately 90 percent) of United States adults feel that infidelity is morally wrong.