Why is it not illegal to cheat on someone

Yes it is. Had this done to me when I was 17/18. I’m old now but the impact of the horrific behaviour/cheating/blatant disregard has stayed with me. Some people are just cunts.

Looking forward to millions of women being in prison after cheating on their male partners…

So how would this work in relationships where the wronged partner chooses to forgive and stay with the cheat? Would they still be prosecuted for cheating? Would the partner who forgave have to sign a disclaimer that if they stay with them they can't complain about being cheated on again?

What is it that you want from a relationship with a man? Children, a companion, sex? I think you need to focus more on what your priorities are in life then whether the guy you meet will cheat on you? I often hear of women living to a great old age and putting their secret to longevity down to being single all their life, no kids and whisky at the end of the day. Ever considered just living your best life single?

How do you legislate against women ( and men ) who cheat to escape a loveless marriage, or a sexless one?

Because it’s isn’t that clear cut people cheat for sorts of reason including having an abusive partner

Because police don't have resources to deal with crimes as it is without sorting out all the narcissists in existance

Don’t be daft, OP.

Oh, look, a racist who can’t handle diversity in opinions has found mumsnet.

This will NOT be interesting, move along.

I do think I’m marriage a cheating spouse should be penalised in the settlement tbh.

I would much rather time and effort was put into reshaping society into a place where people felt able to leave relationships a bit easier. People bang on about how noone wants to work at relationships anymore, you get told 'but why don't you try ..' 'but we love him' etc etc. If you don't want to be with someone, people around you need to respect that. But people are held in relationships they no longer want to be in by society thinking you need a 'big reason' to leave. When actually you just might not be feeling it any more. And those are the relationships that often end up with someone cheating.

You can't seriously be suggesting that the police be responsible for people's bad relationship decisions?

My husband of 25 years cheated on me and left just like that 18 months ago. Now I'm still upset at times but I was traumatised by all his lies.

I mean I get it trolling and such can be considered incredibly harmful. Coercive control and such.

All is mind games about destroying someone emotionally and mentally.

cheating is no different. You have decided you are ok with hurting someone mentally.

You could go a step further and claim sexual abuse too. Because you cannot consent to sex without facts. And if you wouldn’t consent to sex with a person who’s having sex with someone else then you haven’t had the free will to consent.

However that would become an insane thing to try and police let’s face it.

I remember when I went through a very difficult breakup a long time ago thinking that I would have preferred to be burgled than the lies and cheating that went on, so I do sympathise

But the law protects property more than it protects personal wellbeing and is very reluctant to get involved in private lives. Its only recently that there has been much recourse to law for all but the most extreme cases of violent domestic abuse, for instance.

I'm not sure I'd really want cheating to be a crime, and the courts are straining enough as it is. I would like there to be a lot less acceptance of it in society though.

The Taliban have found mumsnet !

This should be interesting.

If we make breaking someone's trust illegal, where would it end?

I trusted my friend to feed the cat while I'm on holiday and she's just pulled out at the last minute?

I trusted my husband when he said he'd cook dinner while I was at work, and I've just come home to a takeaway?

I trusted my 18 year old to tidy their room and yet it looks like a pigsty?

I trusted my colleague to return my stapler to my desk but.....actually I'd be happy to see this one made a criminal offence 😑

This. Straight out of the red flag handbook.

Kindly, it wouldn't work in your case anyway. The only way of proving someone is your romantic partner at all is to sign some sort of agreement, which is what marriage is for. Otherwise it's your word against theirs. He'd just need to say it was an open relationship or, indeed, you were on a break.

Honestly, think about what you're suggesting and how it is meant to work.

OP, it's a rare person who hasn't been emotionally hurt because of a romantic relationship in one way or another. It's part of life and countries that punish actual adultery and have draconian "morality laws" (usually aimed primarily at women) are not ones many of us would be too happy living in.

"Wife abandonment" was a crime in Victorian England. I was doing some ancestry research and came across a newspaper article in our local Devon newspaper archives about a chap who ran off to America with another woman, leaving his wife behind. The pair came home for a visit a couple of years later and he was arrested at the docks in Liverpool.

It is in places that the Western media deems as backwards and oppressive?

Oh that’s fine then, just let your women get cheated on without repercussions. But it’s those women that media bodies scream are being oppressed and lack freedom/rights? The ones that have governments that protect them by ensuring adultery does not go unpunished.

The West is backwards and always has been and only uneducated, ignorant people feel superior to the truth.

There is only one truth.

But oh, free will, right?

Yep. Biggest red flag ever.

Thankfully this will not happen