Study Reveals High Number of Women Contemplate Divorce Due to Domestic Chores
In a recent study conducted by the Berlin Institute for the Study of Society and Science (BiB), it has been revealed that despite advancements in gender equality, women in Germany continue to bear a significant portion of household responsibilities. This imbalance can be particularly pronounced after childbirth.
The study, which surveyed approximately 17,700 heterosexual Germans aged 20 to 52, found that only 1% of men take sole responsibility for cleaning, compared to 22% of women. The same trend is observed in tasks such as washing and cooking, with only 2% of men taking sole responsibility compared to 36% and 14% of women, respectively.
However, in 20% of partnerships, men and women share washing duties equally, 26% for cleaning, and 28% for cooking. This suggests a slight trend towards more equal division of household labor, but the study also highlights that these differences are more pronounced in couples with children.
One of the authors of the BiB study, Leonie Kleinschrot, notes that there is still often an expectation within families that mothers should take care of small children more at home. Jutta Allmendinger, sociologist and president of the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB), echoes this sentiment, stating that women of working age spend about 13 hours a week on cooking, cleaning, and washing, while men typically spend half that time on household chores.
New parents often express fear about "implementing their equality ideas" due to deeply rooted gender role models, according to the study. Allmendinger suggests expanding the concept of work in social policy to include housework and other unpaid activities. She also points out that men receive little social-political support to break out of traditional roles. Policies such as tax splitting, mini-jobs, free family health insurance, and parental leave calculation are not tailored to genuine equality, Allmendinger argues.
In fact, Allmendinger suggests that marital split in taxes encourages mothers to stay home longer after childbirth and later work part-time, while men continue to work full-time uninterrupted. This, in turn, can lead to an unequal division of household labor.
The BiB study also found that even couples who initially practice a symmetrical distribution often revert to an unequal division once the first child arrives and work-life balance issues arise. One in five women in partnerships with an unequal division of household labor is considering breaking up, according to the study.
Germany has implemented policies to support work-life balance, such as parental leave and flexible work arrangements. However, the effectiveness of these policies can vary depending on individual circumstances and the specific policies adopted by employers. In addition, there are limited recent statistics available specifically addressing the division of household labor and work-life balance issues in German partnerships, especially post-childbirth.
Detlev Lück, another author of the BiB study, compares the slow change in deeply ingrained gender role models to plate tectonics. Lück states that fathers are still often expected to secure the family income. About 80% of cohabiting couples reported that men are mainly responsible for repairs.
There is a slight trend towards more equal division of household labor in eastern Germany, but not much. Most of the surveyed individuals wish for an equal division of household labor in their partnerships. As more research is conducted and policies are implemented, it is hoped that this trend will continue and lead to a more balanced division of household labor in Germany.
- The study also touches upon the expertise of Leonie Kleinschrot, a co-author of the BiB study, who emphasizes the persistent perceived role of mothers as primary caregivers at home, which exacerbates the unequal division of household responsibilities.
- In an effort to promote health-and-wellness and womens-health, Jutta Allmendinger, a renowned sociologist, advocates for extending the definition of work in social policy to encompass housework and unpaid activities, providing men with necessary support to break free from traditional roles that undermine relationships and family-dynamics.
- The BiB study draws attention to the need for a more comprehensive approach to policies addressing work-life balance and family matters, particularly in the realm of science, lifestyle, and health-and-wellness, to facilitate a fair and equitable lifestyle for all family members post-childbirth.
