A new survey has revealed the surprising behaviour of Britons when it comes to extramarital affairs.
While the British do not have a reputation as great adulterers, a shocking one in five of us admit to having a fling at some point in our adult lives. A further 13% of people say that while they haven’t had an affair, they have considered it.
The study also uncovered a discrepancy between the sexes in terms of who they select as extramarital lovers. 44% of the adulterous men had chosen a work colleague, compared to only 32% of women.
In contrast, women were more likely than men to have an affair with a friend (53% and 32% respectively). They also chose ex-partners more regularly.
The men, meanwhile, were much more likely to have an affair with a stranger (27% compared to only 9%), while 5% admitted to extramarital activity with a relative – something that no woman in the survey confessed to.
YouGov chart
The poll, conducted by YouGov on behalf of The Sun, also asked respondents to specify what sort of things they had done with people other than their partner. While 20% admitted to having an ‘affair’, 22% said they had kissed someone else and 17% said they had slept with someone else, which suggests that the definition of the term changes from person to person.
Of the self-confessed adulterers, men were more likely to be repeat offenders (49% compared to 41%). However, the number of men and women who have had an affair is essentially the same (20% and 19%).
The two sexes cited different reasons behind the extramarital activity. While 44% of women said they were flattered by the attention and a further 43% said they were emotionally deprived in their relationship, 32% of men pointed to a dissatisfaction with their sex lives – something mentioned by only 15% of women.
If this study has created any doubt, not to worry, here at Crest Hawk Investigations we like to put people’s minds at ease, contact us for a free consultation, or for information about a Private Investigation.