Do you think women cheat more than men?

[WhiteCompanyMagicNights]

Just having this debate with a male friend.

He thinks women cheat more. As he’s got most romantic interest and flirting from women already taken or married etc

Whereas, as a woman I think men cheat more. And often at horrific times like after a baby is born etc

He thinks it’s easier for wives to cheat. Whereas having been a wife before my blissful separation, I’d say it would be really bloody difficult to do! And hide.

Men however seem to be able to hide things better, I would imagine?

I just don’t know any women that would cheat. And to top it all off, they are usually drowning in work, general life and children. So don’t even have the time. Most of us would be too knackered even if the idea crossed our minds

No. I think men cheat more.

and I think your fried is judging women by his own standards. IME women in marriages and with kids are more often than not too bloody tired to cheat.

I am 52 and I know of two women who have cheated. I have known countless men who have cheated. Or at least tried it on.

No no no. Your friend is dead wrong. Hardly any women I know have cheated, and every single man I know has. Usually many, many times. I’ve seen some horrific betrayals over the years, 95% from men. I just don’t see women as usually having that mindset, when they’ve been with someone for a while and/or had kids together, a psychological determination seems to set in, and he’d have to just about murder someone in front of her to ‘break up the family’ you see women on here putting up with endless years of shit and not straying. Some do, but it’s invariably the other way around.

Men cheat more they don't just have affairs they also visit sex workers which is something women very rarely do.

yougov.com/en-gb/articles/12404-one-five-british-adults-admit-affair suggests that men and women cheat at about the same rates.

In my experience men cheat a lot more. And before anyone says they must be cheating with someone, often with single women often younger than them. I don't know many of my female friends who have cheated but lots of husbands. But then am middle aged and plenty of my female friends are now divorced and still single, none of their ex husband's are.

God, who the fuck cares. Your male friend sounds like a dreary paranoid misogynist incel.

Most women I know are too busy and tired to cheat, and the last thing they want or need in their lives is an extra man whining at them for attention.

TBH I wish I'd responded along these lines instead of engaging. You are right.

I think all the evidence says that men cheat more, andnot just after their wife gives birth, but after cancer diagnoses.

I think your friend doesn't understand that women being friendly, interesting, interested and humourous are not always flirting.

In the cases I personally know IRL of marriages ending because of one partner cheating, it's a bit more likely to be the man who cheated, but certainly not always. Lots of women cheat too.

When he says women flirt with him.. is he one of those men who things that a woman smiling at him during a conversation is flirting?

But no. My experience is that men are by far the most likely to cheat - not least because they have the opportunity as they take far less responsibility for house and children (painting in broad, class level, strokes)

No, I don't think they have anywhere near as much opportunity in terms of free time and availability, even if they have more options.

However, when they do cheat, I think it's almost always because they're unhappy. Men are much more likely to cheat when they're perfectly happy, they just like the extra sex and think they won't get caught and nobody will be hurt.

It's probably even. Women on here will say that it's mostly men because of what they see here and their female friends. Men will say it's mostly women because they have men in their social circle.

I think women cheat more than we realise. I think we cheat more in our heads, maybe, also. I don’t agree with you re how easy it would be as I could really easily cheat on my husband. He never asks where I am and I go out for dinner with friends quite often - sometimes just me one on one with other men. I could so easily have done it from a logistical standpoint but never have. I think of the two of us I’d be more likely to do it though I never would.

He's likely confusing women just being unguarded as flirting.
Men often mistake the two.

He's likely confusing women just being unguarded as flirting.
Men often mistake the two.

The same number as there are guys snogging girls! Are they all married?

Absolutely! So many men mistake being friendly or chatting as flirting.

It's like they can't see a point of conversing with the opposite sex unless there's a chance of a shag at the end of it.

It’s probably more equal than we think

the men must be cheating with someone??

Yes, I certainly feel safer to be friendly in the company of men when I have a wedding ring on. Because I assume nobody’s going to try it on with me if I’m married. Not because I’m after a bit of strange. 🙄

This.
I don’t believe that YouGov pill. It doesn’t match lived experience at all.

Wat do you mean cheat more in our heads? if you mean fantasise about other men, well that's normal and healthy (Ed Harris, I'm looking at you) but actually follow through? I've known only two as i said One was my best friend who was in a celibate marriage for 10 years before cheating with her married boss. Her husband finally admitted he was gay and ran off with their best man. Another was a woman i worked with whose DH was a drunken abusive fucker. But as a 'woman's woman' with very close and onest friendships with women- those are the two I can think of off the top of my head. And I'm 52.

I agree that the OPs friend sounds like a man who thinks women being friendly might be a come on.

I think men and women cheat in equal measures. I have a lot of friends who are post-divorce in new relationships and a lot of them started as affairs...