What are the facts about infidelity?

The act of being unfaithful to an intimate partner has occurred throughout history and across cultures. It is estimated that somewhere between 30% and 50% of all married individuals in the United States will engage in infidelity at some point during their marriage. Some cultures have adopted extreme measures to combat infidelity: female circumcision, allowing only limited contact between the sexes, and death as a punishment, just to name a few. Men are more likely to cheat than women. But, as women become more financially independent, women are starting to act more like men with respect to infidelity. Most infidelity goes undetected. There are no hard and fast "signs of infidelity." But, in hindsight you will always find them. The internet, e-mail, and chat rooms are making it easier for people to engage in infidelity. The initia

l decision to be unfaithful is rarely ever a rational choice or thought out; instead infidelity is usually driven by circumstances and one's emotions. In fact, most people are surprised by their own behavior at the start of an affair. Emotional infidelity, compared to just physical infidelity, can inflict as much, if not more, hurt, pain and suffering. And to make matters worse, most infidelity involves both physical and emotional betrayal.

 Previous      Next