Why does it seem the woman gets the children in most divorce cases?

Question

Now, I could be wrong, but it seems like in most cases that I have heard of the woman gets the children, now, if I am wrong, please correct me.

Answer 1

I dont know why. As far as Im concerned it should always be joint as long as both parents are capible of raising the child. I think fathers get a bad image and its simply just not fair. There are bad fathers out there but it makes it that much harder for the good ones.

Answer 2

The Family Court System is a bit sexist.

However, more and more men are getting full custody every day.

Answer 3

ITS A BELIEF THAT THE CHILD WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH THE MOTHER THAN THE FATHER...

Answer 4

Because mothers by nature (for the most part) are nurturers.

Answer 5

You are right, I guess it's because the mother has the abilty to take care better than the father. Actually, my parents are divorced, and i live with my father.

Answer 6

Usually yeah. Most of the jury will agree the children need to be with the mother because people think mothers can give the child more love and affection that they need but in some cases, dads can be too.

Divorce is sad though.

Answer 7

Patriarchal stereotypes of gender identity.  Men go out and work and drink and talk to the guys.  Women stay home and cook and mind the kids.  Men are violent, women are nurturing.  Men dont have a clue about parenting, women have a natural instinctive parent in them.

Answer 8

The woman all way get the children

Answer 9

becuase she is the one who gave birth to them..

she owns them.

true--he did do HALF of the work but the mother is the one who carried for 9 months AND gave birth--which is painfull I assume

Answer 10

I agree with coronado, although my parents divorced in 1980 and my dad got sole custody (mom did not fight for us). ideally it would be joint but that's not always the way it goes.

Answer 11

Typically women do tend to get the children because they have a tighter bond with them. I'm not saying fathers don't, but generally speaking the mothers have a closer bond with their children because they birthed them and some mothers are still lucky enough to be home with their children instead of working therefore allowing them more time with the kids than the fathers. Also by nature women are more nurturing than men (again a generalization) and have that part of the bond as well.

Answer 12

I believe you are correct but not for reasons that have to do with the judicial system.  Women get the children in divorce cases most often because the father does not have the time or inclination to go for custody. In those cases where the father contests custody, however, I believe you will find, the father will get the children in the majority of cases.  

Answer 13

Because fathers are screwed by the law here in America.  It's incredibly sad and incredibly "un-civilized."  

Don't even get me started on this one.  

Answer 14

because the woman has more custody i think and plus it is where the child came out from so the women think the children will need them more and plus they think men are less manageable of kids

Answer 15

You're correct.  For decades, the court systems have held tight to the belief that a mother's nurturing is more important than a father's presence.  Apparently, carrying a child in your womb and suffering labor gives women this mystical child-rearing ability that men don't possess.  Fortunately, we're beginning to see a shift in that philosophy as people are beginning to realize the impact that it's having on kids when they do not have a consistent father figure in their lives.  The courts are more likely now than ever before to order shared parenting as opposed to sole custody.  I, for one, am happy to see that it's changing.  Kids deserve to have two loving parents involved their lives equally.

Answer 16

Probably a combination of:

1) Men are more likely the cause of the divorce

2) Men are less likely interested in taking care of the children full time.

But to be clear, the courts are fair.  When my parent divorced (due to my mom behavior with other men) the courts gave Dad custody.

Answer 17

Because women are usually the main day to day "care givers" to the children.

Answer 18

Usually the woman gets the kids! Your right. That's because most of the women in america have jobs and can support small kids and such. Usually children 15 and under go to the mother and 16+ go to dad. Most of the time when two people get a divorce the kids are still young! That's Why.

Answer 19

In my case my ex husband and his new girlfriend didn't want them.

She had 3 children of her own so he helped raise hers. Then  she dumped him .

I gave him joint custody and said he could see them anytime he wanted.  He never wanted to.   He was always to busy.  

Answer 20

Because in most cases when a couple split up the guy takes off . What do you think that looks like in court ? Sure doesn,t make things look good being you abandoned your kids once . Whats to say your not going to do it again . Never ever leave your kids even if you cant make her leave stick it out until the end . Neither has to go until the judge tells you to .  

Answer 21

No, I think you're right.

I think the reason is because in most cases, the problems are caused by the men. Women are the ones who bear the children and have bonded with them more (usually, since they have to keep them inside their belly for 9 months) so I don't think they would be the ones to cause harm and problems for their children. Women usually care more for them and men often are the ones who slip up, so I think that's the case.

But I'm not sexist or anything, because I do believe it should be fair when custody is given and men are just as capable of being loving parents as women are.

Answer 22

when my mum and dad divorced my dad got total custody of me after a lengthy court battle.   Because he had a new wife (The woman he had been having an affair on behind my mums back!) and a new house.  My mum was left with nothing - living at home with her parents and no partner.  I was 3 at the time and i had a S****y time with my step mother who hated me as much as i grew to hate her....how i wish i could tell those courts what a mistake they made with their decision that day all those years ago....