The Final Straw: Unveiling the Causes of Women-Initiated Divorce in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Women-Initiating Divorce in Pakistan is socially stigmatized and inadequately examined in mainstream discourse. The understudy phenomenon is increasing and profoundly changing the dynamics of the family system. This qualitative study explores and investigates the compelling reasons why Pakistani women chose legal divorce (Khula), ignoring the attached stigma as a last resort when no other option works and reconciliation becomes untenable. Deploying the qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 divorce-initiator women in urban Lahore, using purposive sampling. The data were collected in accordance with all ethical considerations. The data have been transcribed, coded, and categorized. The emerging themes and findings of the study highlighted that chronic emotional neglect, contagious violence, rigid gender hierarchies, lack of spousal accountability, in-laws’ interference, and mismatched marriages are the most dominating reasons for filing for divorce by urban Pakistani women. Pre-marital counselling, establishing accessible support networks for resolving conflicts between couples, are essential for strengthening the marriage and family institute