According to official figures released by Singapore's Department of Statistics on July 19, 2026, nearly half of all civil divorces in the city-state in 2025 were filed on the grounds of 'unreasonable behaviour.' Adultery accounted for fewer than one in 100 cases, lawyers noted.
The data, covering 2025, shows that 48.5% of divorces cited unreasonable behaviour as the primary reason, making it the most common ground for divorce. This continues a trend observed in previous years, where this ground has become increasingly prevalent.
In contrast, adultery was cited in only 0.8% of cases, and separation (for three years or more) was the basis for 27.3% of divorces. The remaining cases were based on other grounds such as desertion or mutual agreement.
Legal experts attribute the high rate of unreasonable behaviour filings to its relative ease of proof compared to adultery, which requires evidence of infidelity. 'Unreasonable behaviour is a broad ground that covers a range of conduct, from emotional abuse to financial irresponsibility,' said a family lawyer quoted in the report.
