Interesting Australian Divorce Statistics

Based on figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics:  

Approximately ONE in THREE first marriages end in divorce

But the good news is, the number of divorces granted in Australia has been decreasing each year since 2002, it reached a peak in 2001. This trend continued in 2007 with 47,963 divorces granted. This is a 6.6% decrease compared to 2006, where there were 51,375 divorces granted.

Most people who separate have been married less than 10 years

The median length of marriage to separation and divorce has been steadily increasing over the last 20 years. In 2007, the median length of marriage to separation is 8.9 years and the median length of marriage to divorce is 12.5 years.

Women are the Main Initiators of Divorce

Women are more likely to initiate a divorce than men. However, over the past 20 years the proportion of joint applicants for divorce has been increasing, while the proportion of applications by only the male or only the female has decreased.

In 2007:

• 39% of divorces were initiated by the wife
• 28% of divorces were initiated by the husband
• 34% of divorces was a joint agreement

Number of Divorces Involving Children has been Decreasing

Over the past 20 years the proportion of divorces involving children under 18 years has been decreasing. In 2007 the proportion of divorces involving children was 49.3%

Median Age at Divorce has been Increasing

In 2007, the median age of divorce for females was 41.3 and for males 44.2, which seems to be increasing.  For females, age-specific divorce rates in 2007 were highest for the 35-39 year age group. While for males it was highest for the 40 to 44 year age group. This difference may reflect the tendency for females to marry at a younger age than males.

Source: ABS 3307.0.55.001 - Divorces, Australia 2007