i kind of take offence to your point that divorce is awful and the kids are screwed up and mess about as a result of it.
i dont feel there is a problem with being divorced if it is handled well. if the parents are constantly fighting in front of their children (whether married or divorced) it will have a negative effect, whereas those who are civil about the whole thing around their children wont have that bad an effect. my parents are divorced and i have turned out fine as have both of my cousins (both of my aunts split from their partners and 1 is a qualified lawyer and the other is hopefully going to uni to be a lawyer). my parents handled it well despite living about an hour away from each other for many points of my childhood, they were always good around each other and i actually preferred them seperately rather than together as it was when they were together that we had problems.its all to do with how the parents are around each other and how they handle the situation that determines how well the child will cope with it.
also just cos a parent is a single parent, doesnt mean that kid will automatically be screwed up and mess about/cause trouble in class all the time. i know many children in my school who came from "happily married" families and have been right dickheads in lessons, and also as a nursery nurse i never saw any different behaviour from those that had single parents to those that had married parents.
i think the reason that the rate has gone up is because it is more acceptable to be divorced, as back in the day it would bring shame to the family so people just used to stick it out and be absolutely miserable, rather than just admit "yes we have tried but its really not working out and would be best all round if we called it a day because with how we are now it is just hurting everyone involved". also i dont think anyone gets a divorce lightly as a lot of people still see it as a bit of a failure for their marriage and desperately hope it can be turned around and get better, especially if kids are involved, as many will still try to make it work "for the kids sake", which is wrong and is usually when the problems really start for everyone involved.
anyway rant over, i just get annoyed at people who make it out to be the worst thing in the world to be a single parent and pass judgement on single mums, when i know many single mums who are amazing (just like i know many married parents who are also amazing).