Cheating Statistics for 2021

November 30, 2021

Being cheated on is a highly-unpleasant experience for anyone to go through, but sadly, it happens a lot. According to HackSpirit, having an affair is the number one reason why both married and unmarried relationships end around the globe. But who is cheating, why are they doing it and do men cheat more than women or vice-a-versa?

Overall the numbers regarding cheating partners remain exceptionally high. HackSpirit have said that 40% of unmarried relationships and 25% of marriages will experience at least one instance of infidelity. Worryingly, the Journal of Marriage and Divorce has stated that around 70% of Americans will cheat at least once throughout the course of their marriage, with the General Social Survey claiming that; “20% of men cheat compared to 13% of women”.

However, the LA Intelligence Detective Agency stipulates that the numbers are actually far higher:

Between 30-60% of married couples cheat at least once
74% of men and 68% of women admitted that they’d cheat if they knew they’d never get caught
60% of affairs happen with close friends or coworkers
The average affair lasts approximately 2 years
As a result of infidelity, 69% of marriages end

Why do people cheat?

Typically, the reason why someone might choose to cheat on their current partner is because they’re unhappy, dissatisfied or are having other problems in their relationship. However, the LA Intelligent Detective Agency says; “Statistics show that 56% of men and 34% of women who commit infidelity rate their marriages as happy or very happy. This makes the reason people cheat a little harder to dissect and comprehend”. So why do people cheat, exactly?

Reasons why people cheat

Europeans and Americans, according to HackSpirit, cheat for different reasons, but then again, so do men and women. Research from Superdrug Online Doctor uncovered the following in terms of reasons why men and women cheat, depending on whether they’re American or European:

In order from 1 to 5, with 1 being the top reason to cheat and 5 being the least likely reason to cheat, European women have affairs because:

Their partner stopped paying attention to them
The person they had an affair with was very attractive
They were having doubts about their existing relationship
The person they cheated with offered them a shoulder to cry on
They needed to feel ‘wanted’

In order from 1 to 5, with 1 being the top reason to cheat and 5 being the least likely reason to cheat, European men have affairs because:

The other person was extremely attractive
The person they had an affair with was there for them when they needed it
They weren’t being satisfied by their current partner
They were bored with their existing relationship
Their current partner didn’t pay attention to them

In order from 1 to 5, with 1 being the top reason to cheat and 5 being the least likely reason to cheat, American women have affairs because:

Their partner wasn’t paying them enough attention
The person they cheated with looked after them during tough times
They were doubting certain aspects about their current partnership
They found the person they cheated with to be highly-attractive
They were bored

In order from 1 to 5, with 1 being the top reason to cheat and 5 being the least likely reason to cheat, American men have affairs because:

The person they cheated with was attractive
The person they had an affair with was hitting on them
They were having doubts about their current relationship
Their partner wasn’t satisfying them sexually
The person they had an affair with wasn’t paying them enough attention

According to Truth About Deception:

43.7% of women and 22.2% of men cheated on their spouse with someone they both know
72.1% of males and 53.1% of females cheated in a one-night-stand
53.1% of women and 66.9% of men have cheated on their spouse more than once
73.7% of females and 48.1% of males were motivated to cheat on their other halves due to problems in their existing relationship
30.3% of women and 15.2% of men cheated in order to ‘get even’ with their spouse
49.8% of females and 15.2% of males thought about ending their relationship due to the affair

Branka Vuleta says; “There is a 20% chance of a first marriage resulting in divorce within five years. In comparison, couples who cohabit for five years have a 49% chance of separating. Similarly, married couples have a 33% chance of divorce within 10 years, whilst cohabiting couples have a 62% chance of splitting up in this timeframe. These statistics indicate that married couples are likely to remain together longer than couples who choose to cohabit but do not marry”

What goes on in the mind of a cheater?

The answer to this question can only be pondered as each case is different and everyone cheats for different reasons. However, as previously stated, men and women are motivated to cheat for varied reasons, as has emerged in polls carried out across the world.

Fatherly states; “Men are more prone to casual and opportunistic cheating, which plays a big part in why they get caught. Infidelity, for many men, is evidence of recklessness. For women, however, cheating may be evidence of a more thought-out plan to address perceived needs. The potential costs of being sexually reckless is otherwise too high. Intimate partner violence, which one out of three women experiences at some point, is often triggered by infidelity”

A study conducted by HuffPost found that the majority of those they surveyed cheated with a person who they found to be less physically attractive than their spouse. However, 25% of cheating men found the person they were seeing to be more interesting than their spouse.

Bride Magazine found that there are four main traits found in those who are most likely to cheat, including:

Being disagreeable
Being conscientious
Living a life not intertwined with their spouse
Becoming narcissistic

According to Mark Manson, a person will cheat “when one’s need for self-gratification outweighs their need for intimacy”. In other words, feelings of lust and desire that come about in the moment will far outweigh the need to be loyal and respectful to the person they love and the relationship they have waiting for them at home. In most cases, an affair comes about due to plain temptation and opportunity rather than going out of their way to plan and be deceptive.

How do people meet the individuals they cheat with?

Superdrug Online Doctor found out who it is people are cheating on with and, unsurprisingly, it varies slightly depending on whether the cheater is a man or a woman:

32.9% of men and 40.6% of women cheated on their spouse with a friend
28.6% of men and 33.3% of women cheated on their partner with a colleague
21.8% of men and 17.5% of women cheated on their significant other with a stranger when carrying out everyday activities
19.5% of men and 12.4% of women cheated on their partner with someone they met in a bar
7.3% of men and 7.1% of women cheated on their spouse with a person they met on social media
14.9% of men and 4.7% of women cheat on their significant other with someone they met on dating apps or dating websites
6.9% of men and 4.2% of women cheat on their partner during a business trip or whilst on holiday
3% of men and 0.2% of women cheat on their spouse on a website specifically set up for the purpose of cheating

What to do it you suspect your partner is cheating on you

If you suspect your partner is cheating on you and you want to be absolutely sure of it before confronting them about it, then you should look to Delta 74 Private Investigations to help you confirm their infidelity. Whether you suspect your husband or boyfriend of cheating or think your wife or girlfriend is having an affair, then we can conduct a specific, in-depth investigation to help put your mind at rest.

Our meticulous cheating partner investigations are conducted by highly-trained, fully-qualified professional private investigators who always put you at the heart of their operation. We understand how difficult this time will be for you and so you can always count on us to be as compassionate and as sensitive towards your case as possible during this tough period. When you first make contact with us, we’ll listen to everything you have to say.

For more information about the cheating partner investigations we’re able to carry out, get in touch with a member of our specialist team today – we’re always happy to help you.