In 2025, 48.7% of civil (non-Muslim) divorces in Singapore named unreasonable behaviour as the primary cause of marital breakdown, making it the leading reason cited in divorce petitions under the Women’s Charter [1, 2, 3, 4]. Adultery was cited in only 0.9% of civil divorce cases, the lowest among the recognized grounds [1, 2, 3, 4].
The Women’s Charter governs civil divorces and requires proving the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage through one of six recognized facts. These include three fault-based grounds — adultery, desertion, and unreasonable behaviour — as well as separation of at least three years with consent, separation of at least four years without consent, and divorce by mutual agreement, which came into effect on July 1, 2024 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Divorce by mutual agreement was the third most commonly cited fact in 2025, following unreasonable behaviour and separation with consent [1, 2, 3, 4].
Lawyers explain that adultery is rarely cited in civil cases because proving it is often difficult and costly. Many spouses rely instead on unreasonable behaviour, which covers a broader range of conduct and is easier to establish in court. Lim Chong Boon, Managing Director of Family Law & Dispute Resolution at PKWA Law Practice, said, "Many spouses whose marriages had broken down because of infidelity chose to rely on unreasonable behaviour instead of adultery because it was significantly easier to establish in court" [4]. He also noted, "The only legal ground for civil divorces is that the marriage has broken down irretrievably" [1].
Among Muslim divorces heard in the Syariah Court under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), 21.5% cited personality differences and 18.4% cited infidelity as the main causes in 2025 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Abdul Wahab, Managing Director of A.W. Law, explained, "Unlike the Women’s Charter, AMLA does not set out the statutory facts for divorce. The Syariah Court determines divorce proceedings according to AMLA and the applicable principles of Muslim law" [1]. The gap in adultery citation rates between civil and Muslim divorces reflects differences in legal frameworks rather than actual differences in adultery prevalence [1, 2, 3, 4].
The Singapore Department of Statistics released the 2025 marriage and divorce statistics on July 10, 2025, providing the latest official data [1, 2, 3, 4].
