Finland wins bronze in European divorce statistics
The Family Federation of Finland is concerned about Finland’s high divorce statistics, the third highest in Europe. Personally I see this as something to be proud of - Finnish women aren’t staying with their sometimes drunken/cheating/abusive/worthless husbands because of cultural or religious reasons…
The Family Federation of Finland is marking the launch of “Home Week” with a call for a national couple relationship programme. The organisation is concerned that Finland is in third place in European divorce statistics, right after Belgium and Sweden.
An estimated 30,000 children a year have to undergo the divorce or separation of their parents, notes Helena Hiila, managing director of the federation.
Split-ups also cause significant economic consequences for society. Hiila estimates that in 2005, about 420 million euros in public assistance was paid out to single parents.
The Family Federation calls for more efforts to prevent such problems. For instance, more couples courses and psychotherapy services are needed.
“Finnish women aren’t staying with sometimes drunken, cheating, abusive, and worthless husbands because of cultural or religious reasons…” That sentence didn’t make any sense.
Comment by berra — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
How sexist can one be?
Comment by Cunter — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
Phil, I think it made perfect sense and I can’t see anything sexist within it. Racist maybe but sexist no. Anyway, it’s the truth so that defends the “racial” slur implied. I would however rather see a situation where the ladies are smart enough to stay away from the above mentioned types to begin with. It would save everyone a lot of trouble not to mention the welfare funded by our taxes.
Comment by Punter — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
That sentence didn’t make any sense.
I’ll edit it for clarification.
Comment by Phil — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
How sexist can one be?
Let’s be honest, men can sometimes drink too much and be abusive. In some less liberal countries, women will put up with that shit, but in Finland that seems to be less popular. I think that’s a good thing.
Comment by Phil — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
Didn’t find this in English: http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/id70438.html
It’s basically saying that divorcing a foreign spouse can become more difficult in the future as the EU is trying to standardize legislation on divorce. In Finland and Sweden divorcing is easier than in the catholic countries, for example.
Comment by Pave — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
Racist maybe but sexist no.
Wha? How is race involved!?
Comment by Phil — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
That’s quite interesting, since people don’t seem to get married so much any more, but instead live together.
Americans often mistakenly think that the more elaborate the wedding, the more “married” the couple will be. Perhaps there is a bit of this tendency in Finland as well, with the perfect Finnish Lutheran chuch weddings. The marriage is the long road ahead after the wedding.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
That’s quite interesting, since people don’t seem to get married so much any more, but instead live together.
Maybe that’s why there are so few divorces, people just aren’t getting married in the first place? Couples that would be more likely to divorce don’t bother getting married.
Comment by Phil — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
The Family Federation called for what? More services? More take from thy neighbor and give it to me?
How about we all just ask folks to have “responsability”.
What? To hard to even ask?
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
#7 My point being that the use of “Finnish women aren’t staying with their……..” seems to suggest race and hint towards the Finnish man or at least may be taken that way by those with thin skin ie Finnish men. (Now that is racist) Not to worry, I certainly don’t see it as racist, just trying to preempt the Finnish response
Comment by Punter — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 10:19 pm
“Finnish women aren’t staying with their sometimes drunken/cheating/abusive/worthless husbands because of cultural or religious reasons…”
Opposite approach is not that strange to older Finnish people. Their “brighter crown award” (kärsi, kärsi, kirkkaamman kruunun saat) for patient wives is pretty much cancelled and everybody is having just one life nowadays. It was up to ca. 60’s, when the spouse was generally supposed to put up with the mulquist, no matter what and all the way to the end. I guess disapproving gossiping about active sexual life of someone divorcing recently is not that unusual in certain workplaces even today.
Comment by Antti rn — Mon, Sep 24th, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
“Personally I see this as something to be proud of”
This has to be one of the most naive things I have even read. I could care less if childless couples split up, but it’s pretty bad if children are involved. Sure, if a couple hates each other it’s better for them to split up, but it’s even better for them to try to work things out before it gets that bad. And maybe this divorce rate also means that people aren’t thinking enough about whom they marry, which is pretty stupid in my opinion. The worst mistake you can make is to marry the wrong person and have kids with him/her.
Comment by dhen — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 4:56 am
The Family Federation of Finland is concerned about Finland’s high divorce statistics, the third highest in Europe. Personally I see this as something to be proud of - Finnish women aren’t staying with their sometimes drunken/cheating/abusive/worthless husbands because of cultural or religious reasons…
This implies that the fault is always in the man, and that women are always innocent victims. This is, of course, total bullshit. Most of the time, the worthless asshole walk hand in hand with the lightning rods.
I think it’s a good thing that men, too, are willing to leave bad marriages instead of becoming bitter drunken pathetic pieces of human garbage because they happen to be married to a passive-aggressive bitch.
As one wise man once said:
“We meet the wives, and we pity their husbands. Then we meet the husbands, and understand the wives.”
Comment by Anzi — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
#13: I agree with most points except the first one where parents should stay for the sake of children. Childrens need stable parents - not necessarily married ones. I tend to think the bitterness and the cold wars are probably equally damaging to the children of unhappy parents. Kids often become the pawns in the power struggle, whether the divorce goes ahead or not.
I would suggest the state to sponsor a basic parenting course for any couple that decides to have children, but many of you will be jumping up and down, calling it a nanny state.
Comment by David — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
YES, Nanny state = state providing your basic responsabilities
Yes, you have the responsability for your life, not the state.
Now get over it. Grow up.
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
I think it’s obvious that a lot of people need nannies.
Comment by Anonymous — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
#15 You make some very good points. My parents should have divorced earlier than they did as it was a very negative environment. But I don’t think it a high divorce rate is a good thing. Perhaps it’s because couples aren’t communicating enough, though that is just speculation.
Comment by dhen — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 6:46 pm
#15-State sponsered parenting courses? What next? Maybe if the state stopped with the nanny BS longer enough to allow people to realize they are ultimately responsible for family and parenting duties we might see an improvement in society. With all the nannying going on and the quick to run to the State attitude whenever something goes wrong it is no wonder people find themselves in unhappy and bitter situations. Rather than look at themselves and try to figure things out we run to big brother for help and when that goes wrong divorce is the only thing left. Looking inside and being responsible seems to be too difficult.
Then again if the State took all the easy benefits and support off many of these “problem parents” and instead threw it into something consructive we might be on to something.
Comment by Punter — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Honestly, i am not shocked whatsoever. At least from what i have seen here up north not to mention the name of the city, women completly drunken hitting on other guys. No wonder why divorce rate is among the highest in Europe…
I had a feeling already before reading this entry. But thanks for pointint that out..
Comment by Em — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 8:07 pm
hitting on guys.. Well we are comming with my 30 drunkin Sailors to that party.
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
Let’s not forget that in these times of equality, women can be drunken, worthless and abusive too. And I remember reading a study that said women are actually more likely to cheat.
Anyway, it’s always sad when a family breaks up, but surely it’s better for the children too if their parents are separated instead of constantly fighting. And I say this as a “fan” of the conventional nuclear family.
Comment by hang10 — Tue, Sep 25th, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
screw the kids. Lets all promote break ups and government intervention. Heck lets even let the government run our lives.
More rum please.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 2:43 am
Two non-negative posts in one week(this and the suicide one). My trust in this blog has increased.
Don’t post more than a couple of positive comments per year, though. Everyone knows the politicians can’t realistically be expected to do any better than that.
Comment by Fägäri — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 3:30 am
So a largely religious institution born in the shadows of history doesn’t cater for us today? Damn would’ve never thought of that.
Historically marriage has had more a social and economical function than a romantic one. It is nowadays something that is done by tradition (aided with the poisonous cinderella propaganda women are fed from birth).
And yes it is great that finnish men have the guts to get away from the nagging bitches.
Comment by philtard — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 4:17 am
@ 25
(aided with the poisonous cinderella propaganda women are fed from birth)
Who crapped in your Cheerios this morning? Heaven help that women are actually human beings and should be treated well. Not all of us want to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.
And yes it is great that finnish men have the guts to get away from the nagging bitches.
Methinks you are paying ALOT of alimony?
Comment by Wha/ — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 4:39 am
#26, Nah he’s just an example of the class of Finnish men the women are leaving. I wonder why?????
Comment by Punter — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 8:39 am
Finnish women are not always perfect little saints. I have come across cases where a Finnish woman was married to a decent foreign man, and then the woman just mysteriously “looses it” after having a child or two and leaves the marriage, often in a very gross, nasty or spiteful way. Case after case I can quote.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 9:05 am
“28- Shit. Just had our second so I’ll have to be careful she doesn’t grow horns and………. Ah, you said “decent foreign men” so no problems
Comment by Punter — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 9:41 am
#26, Nah he’s just an example of the class of Finnish men the women are leaving. I wonder why?????
They are flocking to the arms of obnoxious cunts from Australia. Totally irresistible to passive-aggressive bitches.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
Your women and your jobs……. Loving it. Get a life. Oh, and I would appreciate a bit of respect or a no comment if that is directed to my wife.
Comment by Punter — Wed, Sep 26th, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Since, to my knowledge, your wife doesn’t post here, I am ill-equipped to judge her character. While her choice of a spouse might raise some suspicions, even intelligent people are prone to grave mistakes in this category.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Thu, Sep 27th, 2007 @ 9:31 pm
It is really saddening to see that it is almost only one guy here, philtard, who sees that there may be some blame in women, too. (there is another poster here also).
Women file more than 70% of the divorces. So, according to phil, the “women are saints” philosopher, if we have 50% divorce rate, and if women are divorcing their disgusting hopeless husbands, that gives us 35% of marriages are broken up because of the husband.
Well, in the end, here you have it Finnish men: What others, including your women think about you.
Almost nobody says, the women left because they were just bored, had impossibly high expectations, nagged the husband to death, were inherently dissatisfied, were inherently unhappy, were indeed bad wives, a selfish women, women wanting the marriages’ benefits but none of the responsibilities….
Nobody talks that a woman left the husband because he lost his job due to factors not dependend on him, even though he was a loving father, nobody talks that a marriage is a contract with obligations like wifely duties, sticking together in good or bad… And that for example a sexless marriage is the woman breaking the contract.. Not to mention the rampant cheating of wives.. (The number of cheating wives is higher than men due to the 80% 20% rule. 20% of men sleep with 80% of women, the 20 % men tend to be majorly single while it is impossible for the 80% women to be. Call me whatever you want, that is basic math. Scientific studies estimate that 10% of children in western countries are not from the men they think are the fathers.
Only what men need to do, only what men do wrong… Never what men do right. ALMOST NEVER.
Well, yes, phil, you take pride in women leaving their drunk husbands, I believe you take pride in men silently accepting raising some other man’s child because that angel lied and cheated on him.
Women make choices in life and it is their responsibility to face the results.
Men make choices also, and they tend to carry, or made to carry the burden of their choices. What is wrong is many times they also carry the burden of the woman’s choice.
There are bad men out there.
Not remotely close enough for Phil to say he is proud of the women.
(If this comment has striked some nerve in you, google MRA and MGOTW)
Comment by ze german — Wed, Oct 3rd, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
stupid whores - go rot in hell.
Comment by name@company.com — Thu, Oct 4th, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
I think the reason is very clear: if the Finnish welfare state will kick in all the bennies to a single Mom, so that she doesn’t even need to have the husband around to survive with kids, then the first time the man is promiscuous or drunk, he’s had it. If he has a lousy job, then she’s better off on welfare.
All in all, I think these same Finnish women would think twice in tougher countries, because welfare in USA is no easy life… Or they would be forced to go to work, something many Finnish women want to avoid (at least some I’ve met, usually educated ones…)
Mary
Comment by Marymekko — Wed, Oct 31st, 2007 @ 6:35 am
A century ago or less the divorce wouldn’t be even a subject of the conversation. People simply stayed married. Divorces in our time have become moral because we are part of the society that places most of its value on the individual. When accepted by the society, it’s much easier to go through the divorce (in order to satisfy people’s individuality, their egoism) then to stay married and work out the differences for the sake of kids. Moral evaluation of behavior has been replaced by whatever people find most convenient. Michael Laitman says it much better then I do:
Comment by Olga — Thu, Jul 24th, 2008 @ 9:54 pm
i dont have nobadi in finland .a have bifore hasbent hiar,bad hi dont like live with me i dont have relatives hire sambadi anitink kan help me.plisss i,a now in one home hire live a lot of women bat he is from finland sauojakoti in tampere terhokula 5 is dhe street plisss help me thanks ilda
Comment by ilda — Tue, Aug 19th, 2008 @ 3:09 pm