GITNUXREPORT 2026

Cheating In Relationships Statistics

Infidelity statistics reveal cheating is common and complex in relationships.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Rural residents cheat 12% less than urban (18% vs 30%)

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People aged 18-29 have the highest infidelity rate at 33%

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Infidelity peaks at ages 60-69 for women (16%) and 70-79 for men (26%)

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College-educated individuals cheat 15% less than high school graduates

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Black Americans report 22% infidelity vs 16% whites and 13% Hispanics

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Infidelity rates have risen 10% since 1990 due to online platforms

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Millennials report 25% cheating rate, Gen Z at 20% so far

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Divorced individuals have 2.6x higher infidelity in second marriages

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Income over $75k correlates with 20% higher cheating rates

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Religious individuals cheat 14% less than atheists (12% vs 26%)

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Baby boomers (55-73) have 18% infidelity rate in current marriages

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Immigrants report 10% lower cheating than native-born (11% vs 21%)

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Political liberals cheat 5% more than conservatives

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Empty nesters (kids left home) see 22% infidelity spike

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Remote workers report 25% higher cheating due to opportunity

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Southern US states have 18% infidelity vs 24% Northeast

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Overweight individuals cheat 8% less (14% vs 22%)

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Unemployment doubles infidelity risk (28% vs 14%)

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Trend: Online infidelity up 300% since 2010

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Veterans report 24% infidelity post-deployment

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Lack of emotional intimacy causes 47% of affairs

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Sexual dissatisfaction motivates 32% of cheaters

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Revenge cheating after partner's affair: 15% of cases

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Low self-esteem drives 28% of women to cheat

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Opportunity (work travel) cited by 40% of male cheaters

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Boredom in long-term relationships causes 20% infidelity

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Alcohol involvement in 35% of one-night cheating incidents

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Financial stress leads to 12% cheating for validation

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Narcissism trait in 59% of serial cheaters

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Desire for variety motivates 50% of men under 40

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Attachment anxiety predicts 25% higher infidelity risk

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Social media enables 27% of emotional affairs

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Midlife crisis accounts for 18% of affairs over 50

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Poor communication leads to 41% seeking connection elsewhere

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Thrill-seeking personality in 33% of cheaters

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Unmet sexual fantasies drive 22% infidelity

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Loneliness in marriage causes 30% emotional cheating

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Power imbalances motivate 15% executive cheating

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Genetic factors (DRD4 gene) linked to 40% higher cheating proneness

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Exit affairs: 10% cheat to force breakup

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Infidelity causes 40% of divorces annually

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68% of couples stay together after infidelity discovery

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Betrayed partners experience PTSD symptoms in 30-60% cases

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Children of cheating parents 3x more likely to cheat themselves

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Detection via phone: 56% discover affairs this way

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Post-affair divorce rate: 75% within 5 years

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Trust rebuild success: only 15% of couples fully recover

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Suicide risk doubles for betrayed spouses (14% vs 7%)

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Therapy prevents 50% of repeat cheating with intervention

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Economic cost of divorce from infidelity: average $15,000 in legal fees

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Social media stalking detects 40% of digital affairs

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Polygraph tests accurate 85% for infidelity detection

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81% of cheaters get caught eventually

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Depression rates post-discovery: 50% for betrayed, 30% cheater

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Couples therapy post-affair: 60% report improved intimacy

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STD transmission from affairs: 25% of cases

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Workplace firing for affairs: 20% of discovered cases

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Prevention via apps (couple trackers): 70% user satisfaction in trust building

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Forgiveness correlates with 35% lower recidivism

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Long-term health: Infidelity linked to 20% higher heart disease risk

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45% of cheaters confess voluntarily under guilt

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Prevention education reduces youth cheating by 22%

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Men are 2.5 times more likely than women to cheat in heterosexual relationships

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Women initiate 69% of divorces, often citing emotional infidelity more than men

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Among bisexual individuals, 40% report cheating compared to 20% heterosexuals

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Gay men report 50% infidelity rates in monogamous relationships vs 25% for straight men

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Women are more likely to cheat online (28%) than men (21%)

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Men cite sexual dissatisfaction as reason for 44% of affairs vs 29% for women

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Lesbians have lower infidelity rates (12%) than gay men (28%) in surveys

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Transgender individuals report 35% infidelity in relationships, higher due to dysphoria factors

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Single men cheat 23% more frequently than single women when in casual relationships

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Women over 60 have doubled infidelity rates from previous generations (from 5% to 16%)

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In polyamorous setups, men report 15% unauthorized cheating vs 8% women

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Heterosexual women are 1.5x more likely to forgive cheating than men

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Bisexual women cheat at 29% rate vs 19% for straight women

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Straight men: 23% infidelity; gay men: 33%; bisexual men: 28%

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Women perceive emotional cheating as more painful (84%) than physical (68%) vs men 60% emotional

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In workplace affairs, 85% involve male initiator

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Female cheaters are more likely to fall in love with affair partner (70%) vs men (45%)

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Men under 30 cheat for sex (56%), women for emotional connection (44%)

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25% of men vs 15% of women admit to one-night stands while committed

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22% of married men cheat vs 14% married women (GSS 2016)

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20-25% of married men and 10-15% of married women report having engaged in extramarital sex at some point

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57% of people surveyed have engaged in digital infidelity such as sexting or sharing explicit photos outside their relationship

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In a sample of 5,000 adults, 41% admitted to cheating on their current or most recent partner

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Lifetime infidelity rate among ever-married individuals is 22% for men and 13% for women according to GSS data from 2010-2016

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1 in 5 Americans (20%) have cheated on a committed partner

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Among college students, 78% reported cheating in romantic relationships

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30% of online daters have cheated on their partners using dating apps

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In long-term relationships over 10 years, infidelity rates drop to 15%

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25% of men and 17% of women in the UK admit to cheating

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Serial cheaters make up 35% of those who admit to infidelity, having cheated multiple times

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45% of cheaters do so within the first year of marriage

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Emotional infidelity rates: 35% of women vs 20% of men report it as worse than physical

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70% of married people who cheated said it happened with a coworker

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Cyber cheating prevalence: 64% of daters have sent sexy messages to someone else

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In open relationships, 92% report no cheating incidents due to agreed boundaries

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18% of parents cheat while their partner is pregnant

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LGBTQ+ infidelity rates: 28% for gay men vs 12% for lesbians in committed relationships

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33% of people under 30 have cheated compared to 10% over 70

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Repeat infidelity: 55% of cheaters cheat again in future relationships

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40% of unmarried couples experience infidelity

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31% of affairs involve a colleague

1/103

Sources

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With startling statistics revealing that as many as 78% of college students and 41% of adults admit to cheating, this deep dive into infidelity uncovers the complex reasons behind betrayal, its devastating impact, and the fragile path to healing that some couples attempt to navigate.

Key Takeaways

20-25% of married men and 10-15% of married women report having engaged in extramarital sex at some point
57% of people surveyed have engaged in digital infidelity such as sexting or sharing explicit photos outside their relationship
In a sample of 5,000 adults, 41% admitted to cheating on their current or most recent partner
Men are 2.5 times more likely than women to cheat in heterosexual relationships
Women initiate 69% of divorces, often citing emotional infidelity more than men
Among bisexual individuals, 40% report cheating compared to 20% heterosexuals
People aged 18-29 have the highest infidelity rate at 33%
Infidelity peaks at ages 60-69 for women (16%) and 70-79 for men (26%)
College-educated individuals cheat 15% less than high school graduates
Rural residents cheat 12% less than urban (18% vs 30%)
Lack of emotional intimacy causes 47% of affairs
Sexual dissatisfaction motivates 32% of cheaters
Revenge cheating after partner's affair: 15% of cases
Infidelity causes 40% of divorces annually
68% of couples stay together after infidelity discovery

Infidelity statistics reveal cheating is common and complex in relationships.

Age, Democrats, and Trends

Rural residents cheat 12% less than urban (18% vs 30%)

Age, Democrats, and Trends Interpretation

Perhaps the pastoral life offers fewer temptations, or simply fewer opportunities to be tempted, as the quiet country roads seem to lead home more often than the bustling city avenues lead astray.

Age, Demographics, and Trends

People aged 18-29 have the highest infidelity rate at 33%
Infidelity peaks at ages 60-69 for women (16%) and 70-79 for men (26%)
College-educated individuals cheat 15% less than high school graduates
Black Americans report 22% infidelity vs 16% whites and 13% Hispanics
Infidelity rates have risen 10% since 1990 due to online platforms
Millennials report 25% cheating rate, Gen Z at 20% so far
Divorced individuals have 2.6x higher infidelity in second marriages
Income over $75k correlates with 20% higher cheating rates
Religious individuals cheat 14% less than atheists (12% vs 26%)
Baby boomers (55-73) have 18% infidelity rate in current marriages
Immigrants report 10% lower cheating than native-born (11% vs 21%)
Political liberals cheat 5% more than conservatives
Empty nesters (kids left home) see 22% infidelity spike
Remote workers report 25% higher cheating due to opportunity
Southern US states have 18% infidelity vs 24% Northeast
Overweight individuals cheat 8% less (14% vs 22%)
Unemployment doubles infidelity risk (28% vs 14%)
Trend: Online infidelity up 300% since 2010
Veterans report 24% infidelity post-deployment

Age, Demographics, and Trends Interpretation

The statistics paint a portrait of infidelity as a shapeshifter, peaking with youthful indiscretion and middle-aged opportunity, then curiously thriving in the gilded cages of higher income, remote work, and empty nests, all while suggesting our vices are ironically tempered by education, weight, and religion but catastrophically amplified by unemployment, deployment, and the digital shadows we now call home.

Causes and Motivations

Lack of emotional intimacy causes 47% of affairs
Sexual dissatisfaction motivates 32% of cheaters
Revenge cheating after partner's affair: 15% of cases
Low self-esteem drives 28% of women to cheat
Opportunity (work travel) cited by 40% of male cheaters
Boredom in long-term relationships causes 20% infidelity
Alcohol involvement in 35% of one-night cheating incidents
Financial stress leads to 12% cheating for validation
Narcissism trait in 59% of serial cheaters
Desire for variety motivates 50% of men under 40
Attachment anxiety predicts 25% higher infidelity risk
Social media enables 27% of emotional affairs
Midlife crisis accounts for 18% of affairs over 50
Poor communication leads to 41% seeking connection elsewhere
Thrill-seeking personality in 33% of cheaters
Unmet sexual fantasies drive 22% infidelity
Loneliness in marriage causes 30% emotional cheating
Power imbalances motivate 15% executive cheating
Genetic factors (DRD4 gene) linked to 40% higher cheating proneness
Exit affairs: 10% cheat to force breakup

Causes and Motivations Interpretation

The statistics reveal infidelity not as a single monster but a hydra of unmet needs, from intimacy to excitement, with each head biting for a different reason.

Consequences, Detection, and Prevention

Infidelity causes 40% of divorces annually
68% of couples stay together after infidelity discovery
Betrayed partners experience PTSD symptoms in 30-60% cases
Children of cheating parents 3x more likely to cheat themselves
Detection via phone: 56% discover affairs this way
Post-affair divorce rate: 75% within 5 years
Trust rebuild success: only 15% of couples fully recover
Suicide risk doubles for betrayed spouses (14% vs 7%)
Therapy prevents 50% of repeat cheating with intervention
Economic cost of divorce from infidelity: average $15,000 in legal fees
Social media stalking detects 40% of digital affairs
Polygraph tests accurate 85% for infidelity detection
81% of cheaters get caught eventually
Depression rates post-discovery: 50% for betrayed, 30% cheater
Couples therapy post-affair: 60% report improved intimacy
STD transmission from affairs: 25% of cases
Workplace firing for affairs: 20% of discovered cases
Prevention via apps (couple trackers): 70% user satisfaction in trust building
Forgiveness correlates with 35% lower recidivism
Long-term health: Infidelity linked to 20% higher heart disease risk
45% of cheaters confess voluntarily under guilt
Prevention education reduces youth cheating by 22%

Consequences, Detection, and Prevention Interpretation

The statistics paint a bleak but oddly hopeful paradox: while infidelity shatters trust with the brutal efficiency of a polygraph, it also reveals that the messy, costly human struggle to repair it—through therapy, raw honesty, or sheer stubborn love—can, against all odds, forge a stronger bond for the few who survive the wreckage.

Gender and Sexual Orientation Differences

Men are 2.5 times more likely than women to cheat in heterosexual relationships
Women initiate 69% of divorces, often citing emotional infidelity more than men
Among bisexual individuals, 40% report cheating compared to 20% heterosexuals
Gay men report 50% infidelity rates in monogamous relationships vs 25% for straight men
Women are more likely to cheat online (28%) than men (21%)
Men cite sexual dissatisfaction as reason for 44% of affairs vs 29% for women
Lesbians have lower infidelity rates (12%) than gay men (28%) in surveys
Transgender individuals report 35% infidelity in relationships, higher due to dysphoria factors
Single men cheat 23% more frequently than single women when in casual relationships
Women over 60 have doubled infidelity rates from previous generations (from 5% to 16%)
In polyamorous setups, men report 15% unauthorized cheating vs 8% women
Heterosexual women are 1.5x more likely to forgive cheating than men
Bisexual women cheat at 29% rate vs 19% for straight women
Straight men: 23% infidelity; gay men: 33%; bisexual men: 28%
Women perceive emotional cheating as more painful (84%) than physical (68%) vs men 60% emotional
In workplace affairs, 85% involve male initiator
Female cheaters are more likely to fall in love with affair partner (70%) vs men (45%)
Men under 30 cheat for sex (56%), women for emotional connection (44%)
25% of men vs 15% of women admit to one-night stands while committed
22% of married men cheat vs 14% married women (GSS 2016)

Gender and Sexual Orientation Differences Interpretation

These statistics paint a messy, often paradoxical portrait of infidelity, where men seem to hunt for physical novelty while women seek emotional escapes, yet both paths lead to the same broken trust.

Prevalence and Frequency

20-25% of married men and 10-15% of married women report having engaged in extramarital sex at some point
57% of people surveyed have engaged in digital infidelity such as sexting or sharing explicit photos outside their relationship
In a sample of 5,000 adults, 41% admitted to cheating on their current or most recent partner
Lifetime infidelity rate among ever-married individuals is 22% for men and 13% for women according to GSS data from 2010-2016
1 in 5 Americans (20%) have cheated on a committed partner
Among college students, 78% reported cheating in romantic relationships
30% of online daters have cheated on their partners using dating apps
In long-term relationships over 10 years, infidelity rates drop to 15%
25% of men and 17% of women in the UK admit to cheating
Serial cheaters make up 35% of those who admit to infidelity, having cheated multiple times
45% of cheaters do so within the first year of marriage
Emotional infidelity rates: 35% of women vs 20% of men report it as worse than physical
70% of married people who cheated said it happened with a coworker
Cyber cheating prevalence: 64% of daters have sent sexy messages to someone else
In open relationships, 92% report no cheating incidents due to agreed boundaries
18% of parents cheat while their partner is pregnant
LGBTQ+ infidelity rates: 28% for gay men vs 12% for lesbians in committed relationships
33% of people under 30 have cheated compared to 10% over 70
Repeat infidelity: 55% of cheaters cheat again in future relationships
40% of unmarried couples experience infidelity
31% of affairs involve a colleague

Prevalence and Frequency Interpretation

While the statistics paint a picture of infidelity as a depressingly common human sport with a shockingly high number of repeat offenders, the data also suggests that honesty, clear boundaries, and time can actually build a more faithful fortress.

Sources & References

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