Is Lack of Marriage Undermining the Family Structure?
alternative to marriage? Cohabitation versus marriage is still a topic that is avidly debated. Although early proponents of cohabitation believed that living together before marriage would strengthen a couple’s relationship that belief is open for debate as well. There are those that would declare that the decline in marriage is undermining not only the institution of marriage but the family structure of society also. According to the 2000 Census 11 million people were living with an unmarried partner. This includes both same sex and different sex couples. The number of unmarried couples increased 72% in the decade from 1990 to 2000. It is also worth noting that 41% of unmarried partners have children under the age of eighteen. In a report released in 2002, 33% of all births are to unmarried women. Statistics show that living together first does not lower divorce rates. It is more likely that people who live together will break up than those that are married. Those who cohabitate are a
