1.   Opponents of the change argued that Islam, the dominant religion, gives only men the right to initiate divorces.

2.   Social scientists attribute the increase to everything from the number of aging baby-boomers to the growing numbers of women initiating divorce.

3.   Under Jewish law, which the Orthodox view as divinely inspired directives to be followed to the letter, only the husband can initiate a divorce.

4.   Yet women are not granted the right to initiate divorce and can only inherit property that is less than that portion belonging to a man, says Newby.

5.   Judges have no control over the number of crimes committed, lawsuits filed or divorces initiated.

6.   The Press Association, the British domestic news agency, said that his wife Suzanne initiated the divorce because he was overly devoted to his work with Charles.

7.   Iranian women are not allowed to initiate divorce, which is a male prerogative, they said.