A recent study examined 61 unmarried couples living near Columbus, Ohio. The study asked those couples cohabitating in the area about marriage. Data from the completed surveys shows that many of the individuals involved may be avoiding marriage because they are afraid of getting a divorce. Some of these couples are using cohabitation in place of getting married. Others may be using it as a stepping stone toward marriage.

More than two-thirds of the women in the surveyed couples showed signs of being afraid of divorce because of the possibility of economic, social and emotional fallout that is tied to the end of many marriages. But not all divorces are unhappy and arduous. In some situations, it is best for a marriage to end because those involved cannot resolve their differences amicably.

Researchers with the study compared responses between income brackets and discovered that lower-income women were more likely to view marriage -- and their husbands in particular -- as a burden. They did not see their potential marriage resulting in a shared responsibility between spouses, but rather more responsibility being carried by the woman. Basically, they saw the man as another person to care for.

The publishing of this study has some wondering why people feel that marriage is necessary. If cohabitation has allowed these surveyed couples to test-drive their relationship as if it were a marriage, perhaps it is a better way to consider the future of a relationship than jumping in head first.

It is important to remember for couples scared of getting married because they're scared of divorce that there are options out there that have reduced the costs and stress of divorce. Using mediation or collaborative divorce to take the process out of the courtroom can make divorces go much more smoothly.

Source: The Gloss, "Cohabitating Couples Might Be Afraid Of Divorce, Says Study," Jessica Pauline Ogilvie, Jan. 3, 2012