Examining the Rise in Marriage Dissolution in Turkey: Demographic Shifts and Gender Dynamics

Abstract This article examines recent trends in the rise of marriage dissolution in Turkey, where the crude divorce rate has increased from 0.27 in 1970 to 2.15 in 2022. This surge can be attributed to significant demographic shifts, including an increase in the marriage age, declining fertility rates, higher levels of education, and evolving gender norms. Using data from five waves of the Turkish Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018, this study explores micro-level predictors of divorce. In addition to common risk factors, it incorporates women’s gender role attitudes, tolerance for domestic violence, family conservatism, and husbands’ controlling behaviors. The analysis argues that rising divorce rates are best understood in the context of pressures from a masculinist restoration—a reinforcement of male dominance and control—alongside women’s resistance to traditional gender roles.