The study finds that living together increases risks of domestic violence. The report comes as the trend of living together soars. By 1998, the number of unmarried U.S. couples topped 4,236,000 up from 439,000 in 1960, according to the Census Bureau. More than half of first marriages are now preceded by cohabitation, Popenoe says. University of Chicago sociologist Linda Waite says the violence rate for live-ins is almost double that of marrieds.
Unmarried couples have lower levels of happiness.
Sociologist Alan Booth of Pennsylvania State University has researched cohabitation for two decades. Their relationships are not stable, especially if there are children. Most uncommitted live-in relationships are unstable by definition, experts say. Of particular concern are those who live together in relationship after relationship. Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by members of the Coalition.