“A French court had ruled that a woman had violated her marital duties by not having sex with her husband. The European Court of Human Rights condemned that decision. Europe’s top human rights court said that the French court’s decision had violated the woman’s right to private life and autonomy, which included her sexual life. The decision was seen as a milestone by women’s rights activists who have long raised concerns about France’s marital laws …. It was a symbolic victory for the woman, who had argued that she should not have been found at fault in the divorce. Women’s rights groups called the decision a fundamental step to address sexual violence and other forms of abuse against women in relationships.” “European Court – Wife Entitled to Refuse Sex.” New York Times (Jan. 26, 2025).

“What do the loneliness epidemic, falling rates of adolescent drinking and dating, and worsening mental health among teenagers and young adults have in common? …. Trends in time spent alone are an almost exact parallel of trends in mental health, where rates of mental distress are mounting among the young, but not the middle-aged or older …. The most obvious culprit in terms of timing and age gradient is the proliferation of smartphones and hyper-engaging social media, which has kicked into overdrive with the era of short-form video …. The last decade is a story of young people retreating from the pursuits that bring them the most fulfilment, and replacing them — consciously or otherwise — with pale imitations. “Young People are Hanging out Less – Unhealthy for Mental Health.” Financial Tines (January 17, 2025).

     The general demographic story today is the decline of couples and the rise of singledom worldwide. Many reasons for this. But research now points to the rise of social media and cell phones. This is often accompanied by loneliness and frustration. The bright spot is that people are beginning to realize this and starting to take corrective action.  Less social media and more personal interaction. However, many may prefer singledom.

“In recent years most of the fall in birthrate is coming not from the decisions made by couples, but from a marked fall in the number of couples …. The central demographic story of modern times is the rising rates of singledom: a much more fundamental shift in the nature of modern societies. Relationships are not just becoming less common, but increasingly fragile …. But the rise of singledom and relationship dissolution is a less rosy story …. But the wider data on loneliness and dating frustrations suggests not all is well. The trend is global …. Why an almost worldwide decline, and why now? The fact that this is happening almost everywhere all at once points more to broad changes acting across borders than country-specific factors. The proliferation of smartphones and social media has been one such exogenous ….  and boosts female empowerment …. The fall in coupling is deepest in extremely online Europe …. A world of rising singledom is not necessarily any better or worse than one filled with couples and families, but it is fundamentally different to what has come before, with major social, economic and political implications.” “Relationship Recession is Going Global.” Financial Times (January 11, 2025).