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Couples Living Apart Marital Status Together.” International Review of Soci- Ology 11, 1: 39-46

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Couples Living Apart Marital Status Together.” International Review of Soci- Ology 11, 1: 39-46 CouplesCouples livingliving apartapart by Anne Milan and Alice Peters ost people want to share an intimate connection arrangement was not ideal and was only temporary.1 In with another person but the framework within today’s society, unmarried couples who live in separate M which relationships occur has changed dramati- residences while maintaining an intimate relationship cally. Traditionally, marriage was the only acceptable social are referred to as non-resident partners or “living apart institution for couples. In recent decades, however, people together” (LAT) couples. This type of relationship may have been marrying at increasingly older ages, divorce and be seen as part of the “going steady” process, often as a separation rates have grown, and living together without prelude to a common-law union or marriage. Alterna- marriage has become more common. Now it is not tively, LAT unions may be viewed as a more permanent unusual for relationships to form and dissolve and new partnerships to be created over the course of the life cycle. Previously, social norms prescribed that a couple should marry and live in the same household. When a couple 1. Levin, I. and J. Trost. 1999. “Living apart together.” Commu- could not live together, it was assumed that the living nity, Work and Family 2, 3: 279-94. 2 CANADIAN SOCIAL TRENDS SUMMER 2003 Statistics Canada — Catalogue No. 11-008 living arrangement by individuals who do not want, or are not able, to What you should know about this study share a home. This article uses data CST from the 2001 General Social Survey to examine the characteristics of indi- Data in this article come from the 2001 General Social Survey. viduals in LAT relationships. The survey interviewed a representative sample of over 24,000 Cana- dians aged 15 years and older, living in private households in the One in 12 Canadians 10 provinces. This particular study is based on a sample of about “lives apart together” 2,190 individuals aged 20 and over who were not living with a spouse In 2001, 8% of the Canadian popula- (married or common-law) at the time of the survey. These respon- tion aged 20 and over were in LAT dents were asked, “Are you in an intimate relationship with someone relationships. LAT arrangements were who lives in a separate household?” It is not possible to determine most common for 20- to 29-year-olds (56%). It is not surprising that many the duration of this type of relationship. of those in LAT couples are young adults. Individuals are postponing union formation until later than did Most of those in living apart together (LAT) arrangements earlier generations due to uncertain CST are young people job prospects, the pursuit of higher education, and the “crowded nest” % in LAT arrangements phenomenon,2 where adult children Men Women return to (or never leave) the parental home. While most young adults even- 57 54 tually enter a union,3 being part of a LAT arrangement may meet their immediate relationship needs. LATs are not just for the young 20 19 14 14 While the majority of those in LAT 12 11 relationships were young adults, in 2001 44% of people in such unions 20–29 30–39 40–49 50+ were aged 30 and over. About one in Age group five (19%) of those in LAT arrange- ments were in their thirties, 14% Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 2001. were in their forties and the remain- ing 11% were aged 50 and over. For older individuals, a LAT arrangement as a physical or symbolic base from 2. See, for example, Boyd, M. and D. Nor- may be a way for them to keep which to carry out their various social ris. Spring 1999. “The crowded nest: their own households and still have activities with friends, adult children, Young adults at home.” Canadian Social a relationship. or grandchildren. In all of these Trends. p. 2-5. Cultural and family expectations situations, a LAT arrangement could 3. Statistics Canada. 2002. Changing Con- affect perceptions of whether it is be an alternative to remarriage or jugal Life in Canada (Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 89-576-XIE). appropriate for older individuals to cohabitation for seniors. Adults enter- marry again after divorce or widow- ing their middle years and beyond 4. Caradec, V. 1997. “Forms of conjugal life hood. Previous research has found in the early decades of the 21st cen- among the ‘young elderly.’” Population: An English Selection 9: 47-73. that many older people do not wish tury will have experienced a greater to marry their dating partners.4 Some diversity of relationship and marital 5. Cooney, T. and K. Dunne. 2001. “Inti- mate relationships in later life, current believe that maintaining their own experiences over their lifetimes than realities, future prospects.” Journal of homes prevents an unequal division did earlier generations.5 This may Family Issues 22, 7: 838-858. of domestic labour and caregiving result in an increased share of LAT while allowing them to retain their relationships among older adults in independence. Others view their home the future. Statistics Canada — Catalogue No. 11-008 SUMMER 2003 CANADIAN SOCIAL TRENDS 3 Most people in LATs are in the labour force LAT relationships occur at all income levels The main activity of the majority of CST LATs aged 30 or more in the year prior % to the survey was either working or looking for work. For those aged 30 to Men Women Total 39, 87% were in the labour force, as were 90% of those in their forties. A 47 large share of individuals in their 40 35 twenties who were in LAT relation- 34 33 34 ships were also in the labour force (62%), while 33% were students. For 18 16 those individuals aged 50 and older, 13 15 54% were in the labour force while 10 61 36% were retired. Given that two households are more expensive to maintain than one, it might be expected that LAT relation- Less than $20,000 $20,000-$39,999 $40,000-$59,999 $60,000 or more ships occur more often among those Personal income who are financially secure. In some 1. High sampling variability. cases, however, there may be social sub- Source: Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 2001. sidies or income transfers supporting lower income people who do not live with partners, such as widowed seniors lone parents or to retain custody of to retain their independence.9 In or those who have young children. children following a union dissolu- these cases, a LAT relationship is a Although it was more pronounced at tion.7 In 2001, 23% of women in LAT viable alternative to bringing another the lower end of the scale, people at relationships lived in a household person into the household. These all levels of income were involved in with children, while only 5% of men individuals may prefer to stay in LAT relationships in 2001: 40% had did so. familiar surroundings, continue their personal incomes below $20,000, 34% Living with and/or having the responsibilities for children or parents, between $20,000 and $40,000, 16% responsibility of caring for an aging or work, all while maintaining an inti- between $40,000 and $60,000, and parent could be another reason for a mate relationship. 10% had personal incomes greater than couple to not co-reside. In 2001, 36% Although many LATs share a home $60,000. This reflects the large propor- of those in LAT relationships lived with other family members, overall, tion of LATs in their twenties who may with a parent or parents (38% of men roughly one-third lived alone (28% of be either students or who have not and 34% of women). While many women and 38% of men), and the been in the labour force for a very long young adults might live with their proportion increased with age. In period of time. parents in order to save expenses, older individuals who share a home Caring for others is a common with their parents are likely providing reason for not living with a partner some form of parental care. An earlier One reason why LAT couples do not study found that the responsibility for 6. Levin and Trost. share a residence is because they are eldercare has shifted from institutions 7. Statistics Canada. 2002. Family History (Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 89- responsible for the care of other per- to families. In 1996, 2.1 million 575-XIE); Statistics Canada. 2002. sons.6 For example, one or both Canadians looked after older family Divorces (Statistics Canada Catalogue members of the couple may have chil- members; two-thirds were between no. 84F0213XPB). dren. Not wishing to bring another the ages of 30 and 59.8 8. Frederick, J.A. and J.E. Fast. Autumn adult into the household because of According to one study, two-thirds 1999. “Eldercare in Canada: Who gives how much?” Canadian Social Trends. the children or having difficulty (66%) of members in LAT couples p. 26-30. attracting a live-in partner could be claim their living separately is due to 9. Villeneuve-Gokalp, C. September/October compelling reasons for a LAT relation- external pressures, usually family- or 1997. “Vivre en couple chacun chez ship. Women are more likely to be work-related; 34% report it is in order soi.” Population 5: 1050-1082. 4 CANADIAN SOCIAL TRENDS SUMMER 2003 Statistics Canada — Catalogue No. 11-008 children thought they would live in a Most of those in LAT relationships live alone or with parents common-law union with their current CST partner, compared to 60% of males who lived with their parent(s).
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