Cheating or infidelity is an extremely common phenomenon, much more common than what people normally believe. Infidelity is still a taboo, in all societies. It doesn’t matter whether one lives in New York or London, Dubai or Bali, infidelity is looked down upon, frowned at and is a hush-hush secret for the people involved in the affair.
It is not possible to figure out the exact percent of cheating spouse in any city, state or country. Cheating or infidelity is an extremely private matter and that doesn’t get accurately reported or surveyed. There have been thousands of surveys, from those with limited and clearly defined samples to large scale surveys documenting anonymous responses. It is accepted by most researchers and experts that anywhere from 40% to 60% of all spouses will cheat at least once. This percent of cheating spouse pertains to the entire United States of America and not any specific state, region, demography, social or financial profile.
Close to half of all marriages end in dissolution or divorce and the percent of cheating spouse is estimated to be as high as 60%, which is regarded by many as a conservative figure and that the actual percentage is much higher. It doesn’t seem odd because infidelity is one of the primary reasons for the high divorce rate.
Infidelity is not just a behavioral problem or a matter of want or desire. There is biological evidence that substantiates the need to cheat. This may be considered a blasphemy by many cultures and might be completely lambasted by many but there is evidence that indicates monogamy to be very difficult for human anatomy. It can be achieved. Staying loyal to one person throughout a lifetime is possible but it is extremely difficult. Then there are social, financial and adrenalin factors. The need for passionate romance, emotional support and some adventure often lead to infidelity.
Over the last decade, the percent of cheating spouse has remained almost the same for men but has increased considerably for women. In some surveys, almost 78% of women have reported to have strayed. There are many surveys that report more than 60% of women who have cheated after having been married.
Changing times, spending more time away from one’s spouse, financial freedom of spouses and incompatibility as well as boredom in a relationship, are all factors that are contributing to rising infidelity.