AIBU to think affairs are more common than we think

[YukiCarrot]

Just reading about Matt Hancock in the news, was pretty shocked.

This, coupled with some affairs I know of IRL has really rattled me, my trust in men is at an all time low. (i know women have affairs to!)

Has your DP/DH had an affair? Do you know of people who have?

[MsTSwift]

Journalist ?🙄

[CBeebiess]

She was having an affair too? She was also married.

[YukiCarrot]

Not a journalist, I think you can see my post history. Sorry, know it seems like a dodgey question I guess

[grapewine]

Do people think they're uncommon?

[YukiCarrot]

Maybe I am naïve, I didnt think they were as common as it appears they are.

I could never see DP having an affair, but I guess it goes to show you never know

[Couldyoulookafterivy]

Anyone could have an affair. I have been stunned by the men I’m aware of who have ended up leaving their wives for OW. Seemed happy, settled “ nice guys.” You just cannot tell.

[Concerned2021]

I just find it funny when people who are very much in the public eye think they will get away with it !!!

[dayswithaY]

Seems like most of Whitehall are banging each other.

The older I get, the more people I know who have had an affair or been cheated on.

I used to think it was a game changer now I realise it's just a fact of life for many, many people. Seems like it's part and parcel of a long relationship.

And that's only the ones I know about. Think about all the secret flings that stay secret.

[VapeVamp12]

Very common and I think it's increased now that there are about 100 different ways to discreetly message someone via social media apps / linking up with old school friends etc.

[theleafandnotthetree]

It's very common and the only thing stopping lots of people is lack of opportunity/ finding someone willing to have an affair with them. I think monogamy is great in theory, in practice is now particularly hard to maintain in the face of: increased life expectancy, ability to connect with others through so many means, lack of social stigma to marriage breakdown, second relationships etc.

[BetterthanIthink]

Very common I think . She was having an affair too !

[Moltenpink]

The one that shocked me the most was when Cheryl Cole was cheated on. I remember thinking if it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone!

[theleafandnotthetree]

@Moltenpink

The one that shocked me the most was when Cheryl Cole was cheated on. I remember thinking if it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone!

I think there's two things to that. 1. How gorgeous someone is seems to have damn all to do with whether you are cheated on, equally how nice, clever, funny etc. But equally 2. We have no idea what goes on in other people's marriages/relationships. I know of one woman who was cheated on who was outraged because she saw herself as superior in every way to the OW and in a superficial way she was - looks, clothes, money etc but she was also pretty horrible, unkind and unloving. Life, people and relationships are terribly complicated. And people come to all sorts of accomodations for all sorts of reasons

[Dillydollydingdong]

Get married at say, 30, and you're looking at 50 years with the same man. I don't know that that's realistic for most people, especially if you're not happy.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Massively common. I would go as far as saying most men (not all) who have been married 10 years plus would have one IF the opportunity arose and they thought they wouldn't get caught. But, for lots, the opportunity doesn't arise so it's moot.

Many men are only as faithful as their options.

I'm on online dating. There are stacks and stacks of married men on there.

[Yellowbrickrobe]

Most people I know have either cheated or been cheated on. It’s not uncommon, not sure why you thought it was. I firmly believe that if it was guaranteed that they wouldn’t be found out 99% of people would cheat.

[Sparklingbrook]

It's really common. I used to work in a bank and lots of people were at it. Nobody ever really acknowledged or mentioned it strangely. It was kind of an accepted thing.

[Hestartedoffsowell]

Not sure why Cheryl Cole should be a beacon of all hope against affairs? Most odd

[Firenight]

Really usual. I'm not the slightest bit surprised. Working long hours during an intense time and it's very likely that it will happen.

[AnastasiaBeverleyHills]

I think a lot of the problem is people thinking that people who have affairs are bad people. It's very hard to fit people we know into that box and we start to question our own judgement and how we "couldn't see it coming" (even if it wasn't our partner). I chose to stay and try to work it out but eventually my ExH and I split as he continued to see the OW. The truth is not all people who have affairs are bad people. Good people do stupid things. Good people do bad things. It's not black and white. I often wonder if the people who post "I never thought it would happen to me, I don't know what to do" are also the same people who post "Leave them, I'd leave them immediately". To answer your question, yes, affairs are very common and so common with women as well as men. Years ago there was more of a "mend and make do" attitude and what our mothers/fathers and grandmothers/fathers put up with, we won't. I know many couples who stayed together and have been held up of beacons of happy marriage after 40 or 50 years where there has been infidelity along the way. I'm not saying this is right, I'm also not saying it's right to leave immediately. It's a personal choice. As I said already, it's not black and white.

[NoBetterthanSheShouldBe]

It’s been very common since I started work (early 70s),you see a lot from behind a bar or cafe counter where you are invisible to customers.

I thought everyone knew that, if they don’t then that’s the YABU that surprises me.

[Odisia]

It's really common. I worked in the City for years and there were loads of people having affairs. I'm always amazed by the number of people on here who say 'my DH would never do that'. They're clueless. It happens a lot, for all sorts of reasons.

[OhWhyNot]

Put people together many will soon start banging

I’ve yet to work anywhere where there isn’t lots of affairs going on

And now being able to woe someone has increased the number of affairs has

Nothing has ever stopped people when they feel that desire religion, marriage and fear of losing/hurting their family even breaking the law and fear of death doesn’t stop people

And the beginning of a sexual relationship is such a fantastic feeling it makes us feel great it’s not only those who are unhappily married who have affairs some it’s opportunity others like the excitement of possibly getting caught other separate love and sex their are many reasons

All humans are fallible

[IDontReadEyebrows]

Just reading about Matt Hancock in the news, was pretty shocked.

Really? You’re shocked that an infamously inept idiot and a fucking Tory could be a cheating, duplicitous shit? Ok then…

[OhWhyNot]

Do you really think a Tory is more likely to have an affair than others from a different political party