Survey reveals that lesbian couples are five times more likely to dissolve civil partnerships than their gay counterparts

A recent survey of civil partnerships in Ireland indicates that lesbian couples are five times more likely to terminate their partnerships than gay couples.

The survey of civil partnerships looks at the number of them which have been dissolved between 2011 when they were introduced and 2015.

While 2.4 per cent of gay couples ended up being dissolved, over 12 per cent of lesbian partnerships were disbanded in the same time-frame.

Gay civil partnerships were more likely to occur, accounting for nearly 63 per cent of the 2,071 civil partnerships, while lesbian unions accounted for 35 per cent of those who availed of the ordinance.

However, the variation between the figures for dissolution between gay and lesbian unions is indefinite, however, it has been reported that the discrepancy is in keeping with foreign tendencies.

UK

In the UK, lesbian couples are twice as likely to end their civil partnerships as gay men are. The study conducted by a law firm in the UK examined 60,000 civil partnerships between 2005 and 2014.

A partner in the law firm which undertook the study indicates that the youth of the women entering into civil partnerships when compared to men might explain the disparity between figures of gay and lesbian civil partnerships.

Citing high divorce rates amongst heterosexual couples in their 20s, the law firm partner suggests that a direct correlation between age and ending of civil partnerships which is at the root of the variance in figures.

While in Ireland figures regarding the average age of those who avail of civil partnerships is unavailable at the moment, in the UK the average age of women in civil partnerships was younger than that of men by almost two and a half years.

While it looks likely that age plays a big factor in the dissolution of civil partnerships, other factors such as the difference between gender may influence these rates, suggests Gunnar Anderson, a demography professor at Stockholm University.