What % of people do you think cheat?

[Hopingtobehappy]

Obviously this is just a discussion and nobody will ever know the answer, but what % of people do you think cheat on their partners?

Before my ex cheated, I would have bet my life on him not 'being the type' I would have sworn that he would never do that to me etc. etc. over the years nothing fails to surprise me any more and I am much more open minded that it happens A LOT.

I would guess at 90% of men and probably about 70% of women. I am basing this on knowledge of people that I know.

This is one of the reasons that I probably wouldnt enter into a serious relationship again, unless I wasnt expecting it to be exclusive...

I lived in a little bubble til my OH cheated. Now I'm much more cynical. I suspect many people have cheated in one way or another. Life is certainly not as black and white as I once thought!

hopingtobehappy - Its family all working together so dont think that would come up. Maybe one day my dad will go wild like Walt in breaking bad, that would amuse me greatly .When I say permanently I really mean it. I do think its funny, the only thing I suppose thats scary is if one of them died.

I had a discussion about this with my dad who wasn't exactly well behaved when he was married to mum. As a result he has had alot of his friends turn to him after moments of reckless behaviour. He will not judge anyone and as such has been confided in.

He said the majority of people he knows have skeletons in their closets be them women or men.

My mum you wouldn't think was capable yet since I have grown up and had chats about my relationship problems with her its become clear she had her head turned and made at least one mistake but its never been confirmed.

The older I get the more I know it happens but cheating once for alot of people can be the wake up call of what they have to lose and see them invest and repair their relationship without offloading to their partner.

I agree OP, I think almost everyone will cheat at some point in their lives. Maybe only a minor, short lived fling or a drunken kiss, but it's unrealistic to expect people to go though entire lives without ever doing something stupid.

I'd guess about 40% will cheat at some point in their lives. Be it a snog or a full blown affair. Probably closer to 60% if you include 'emotional affairs'.

I have no evidence for this, it's just a gut feeling.

I believe it's about 75% of people, regardless of whether female/male. I think there are more cheaters than faithful people. Also, I think that just because someone cheated with one partner doesn't mean they will with another - although they have to make a real effort not to!

This thread is quite depressing.

I think it's a very high percentage too. I don't think that almost everyone will cheat at some point but if I was to pull a percentage out of my arse I would say 77%.

'This thread is quite depressing'

I know, sorry !

Agree with BelleDame- high percentage at some stage in their life will have cheated and may not necessarily ever do it again. Includes lots of "not the types" as well.

Re: blood groups don't match comment. Ok the hospital knows the mothers blood group and possibly the babies (although I only know my dc are rh+ as wanted to know before post birth anti d but how only earth would the hospital know the fathers blood group?

Yes, the 10% thing is not right.

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2005/aug/11/childrensservices.uknews This says 25% and data was drawn from those seeking paternity tests so likely to be a self-selecting group anyway

I would have to agree that it's a very high percentage that cheat.

Yikes, 1 in 25 not 25%!

According to divorce stats infidelity is now ranked third, that doesn't mean there is less cheating, just that its no longer a deal breaker! I have always been of the opinion that everyone has a limit and is therefore volnurable under the right circumstances. The trick is not to get yourself in a situation and so far (20 yrs) I have managed to be good but I always think there is danger around the corner - every single male friend that i know has crossed that line!

My question to you ladies - is it a deal breaker?

I don't think monogamy is particularly natural to humans. It is socially constructed around the formation of the state and private property rights and conferred more social power to men. It is tied up with access to the means of production and reproduction in which men always held (or in the case of reproduction tried to hold) all the power. Now women are increasingly more economically independent marriages are breaking down far quicker. In part because the inequalities that held marriage together as an institution are socially/economically constructed not natural.

God how depressing..... I had one of those partners that I would never have believed he would have cheated. But he did.

I also met someone on line that was separated - only he wasn't - and he was the last person on earth you would have suspected of doing the dirty on his wife.

Think I'll stay single

Definitely over half, probably more.

In some environments, like the City, it must be up around 80%. Alpha-male types are the most likely to cheat, for sure. I am never surprised when, for example, MPs are found to be having affairs. Chris Huhne - you could see it coming. Rich, driven, ambitious, arrogant - only a matter of time.

I would say my dp is unlikely to cheat on anyone. He is not alpha, he's very religious. But I would still put the risk at around 10%, just because he's a person.

I'd say about 70% men, fewer women - 40% maybe?

I have always worked in a male-dominated environment and I have a lot of male friends linked to work. I know for a fact that most of my male friends are unfaitfhful (not with me I hasten to add - I'm "one of the lads" in this context). These men have no intention of leaving their wives, they love their wives, their families, their life. They would never have an "affair" in the sense of seeing the same woman regularly as that's "just stupid" but they do go out occasionally, say two or three times a year and end up having sex with a women they've met that night - typically in a work-booked hotel or, in the back of a black cab - pay some taxi drivers enough and they'll drive around while you do the deed. It's depressing but real.

According to divorce stats infidelity is now ranked third, that doesn't mean there is less cheating, just that its no longer a deal breaker!

I think its more to do with the fact that solicitors actively discourage citing adultery as the cause for divorce now. I assume that is because of the push for "amicable" divorces and successful co-parenting.

I am so naive

Married or not? Some people clean up their acts on marriage.

I would guess that its very high. And would be higher still for want of opportunity. Personally, I have experienced the guy coming onto me who turns out to have a long term girlfriend too many times.

Amongst my female friends, I don't know of any, but women might just be better at keeping it secret.

Most men would cheat I think, if they had the opportunity, but most men I know struggle to get one girlfriend, never mind more than one!

bogeyface Perhaps you are right but I know of several marriages that have survived an affair. For what ever reason the OH did not leave after finding out about the affair and in some cases I felt they knew but turned a blind eye - I suspect economics always plays an important role.

How are you defining cheating? If you mean at any time in a person's life, even if in a fairly casual relationship, and they might have a snog with someone else, then almost everyone.

If you mean a married or long term partner, having sex then it would be a much lower figure.

Adultery has to be proved or admitted to. Much easier just to say you don't get on. Amazing how many people get upset at the idea of writing down that they had an affair, even if everyone knows it.