Cheating on a spouse happens most often during the holiday season. This time of the year should offer an opportunity for family festivities. Yet husbands and wives also have affairs and cheat on their spouses at this time of the year. Why are more people cheating during the holidays? And what can you do to catch the cheater? Our Charleston divorce lawyers can talk with you about your divorce options when you are dealing with a cheating spouse. In the meantime, we want to say more about cheating during the holidays and what you can do about it.
Affairs Happen Over the Holiday Season
Are spouses really cheating when they are making family plans for the holidays and buying gifts for their kids? An article in Insider suggests that cheating happens a lot more during the holiday season than you might think. The article cites data from a UK-based study that reports “20 percent of married men and 13 percent of married women said they had a sexual affair with someone at some point in their lives.” How does that number compare to the holidays? The Insider article cites data that shows “35 percent of women and 31 percent of men said they carried out affairs during Christmastime.”
Data from dating apps also suggests that more people are signing up during the holidays. Those people who are signing up for dating apps include married people who are not separated. Indeed, according to Insider, some dating apps have seen a “300 percent increase . . . during the month of December, specifically from people who said they were already in relationships.”
Why Are More People Cheating Now?
There are many different reasons that people cheat over the holidays, including more opportunity to do so, more alcohol consumption, and reconsidering what they want in their lives. The holidays are supposed to be a happy and festive time. Yet for many people, this season is also one that invites self reflection. Spouses think about whether they are actually happy in their marriages and whether they want to make a change for their own benefit in the New Year.
Stress from family situations can also drive increases in cheating, including stress involving family situations with in-laws.
How to Find Out If Your Spouse is Cheating
What can you do to catch your spouse cheating this holiday season? A significant amount of cheating involves electronic communication, including text messages and emails. As such, you should look into your spouse’s online life and any changes to technology use. For example, if they have suddenly added a password to their phone so that you cannot access it, they could be using their phone for dating apps or for sending texts to another person. Does your spouse suddenly have another phone? A second phone can be a sign your spouse is cheating.
Contact a Charleston Divorce Lawyer
When you have proof your spouse is cheating and you want to get divorced, you should get in touch with a Charleston divorce lawyer who can help you. Contact The Peck Law Firm online or give us a call at 843-631-7117 for more information about getting started on a divorce filing in South Carolina.
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