Living together before marriage makes sense, right? Why is it that people still have concerns about what appears to be such a reasonable concept? It makes sense to do a trial run before you commit for life, doesn’t it? Let’s find out.
In terms of statistics, there are some legitimate reasons to be cautious. Reports shown on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC all show statistics that come to the same conclusion: Living together outside of marriage can actually hurt your relationship in the long run. The reason for this continues to baffle researchers because it is counter-intuitive.
Should these statistics have any bearing on your decision whether or not to move in with your significant other? Well, that’s for you to decide, but the facts are worth looking at. Here they are:
- According to research conducted by the University of Chicago, sixteen percent of women in cohabitating relationships reported physical abuse, as compared to just four percent of married women.
- Twenty percent of women living with their boyfriends reported cheating on their significant others, while only four percent of married woman said they had cheated.
- Women in the study said that they thought moving in together was a step toward marriage. Men said they did not see it as a precursor to marriage, but simply as a compatibility test run.
- In a particularly surprising statistic, CNN reported that 80 percent of couples that live together later divorce after they are married to their partner. That is nearly double the national divorce rate among married couples in general.
There are plenty of statistics out there on the issue of cohabitating. Before you make a life-changing decision, do some research and talk things over with your significant other and your friends and family. It always pays to make an informed choice, even if it is a counter-intuitive one.
Guest blog by Sarah R.
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