ndependence, economic factors, sexual factors which lead to infidelity and role conflicts (Lowenstein, 2005).
             One reason for divorce is women's independence. In previous times, men were often considered the bread winners of the family as women either stayed home to work or had careers that did not pay enough to survive on their own. Women have been on an upward trend for taking on more powerful and prestigious jobs, giving them more independence and allowing them to rely less on their spouse (Coontz, 2007). Lowenstein (2005) noted that "increases in female earnings significantly increased divorce rates, undoubtedly due to the fact that the woman in the unhappy marriage now found herself capable of sustaining herself and possibly her family on her own wages" (p.156). Women feel like they are finally satisfied with the income they are earning and no longer need to rely on their husband to support them. Staying married for the sake of having a sufficient income is no longer the issue. In fact, statistics show that working women have "a 22% higher risk of divorce" than women who do not work outside the home (Lowenstein, p.156). Women with jobs are more likely to get a divorce because they are financially stable. Similarly, Bitler, Geelbach, Hoynes and Zavodny (2004) found that many women found being single more attractive when they are satisfied with the income they receive. This shows that women are becoming more self-sufficient than in previous times. Women can trust their work to support themselves and their families without the help of a spouse.
             A second cause of divorce comes from the economic and financial strains of marriage. When one spouse loses a job, for example, there is generally a decrease in income, which may lead to divorce (Bitler et al., 2004). The majority of problems that stem from the financial aspects cause unhappiness and tension between the married couple, which turns out to be one of t...