Older Americans are cheating on their spouses at a much higher rate than younger Americans, and there are a range of reasons why. Our Charleston divorce lawyers can help you get divorced after their spouse cheats, or after cheating makes you realize you no longer want to be in your marriage.
Cheating Has Become a Norm
For many older adults, data suggests that cheating has become the norm. According to U.S. News & World Report, a rent study shows that a lot of older married Americans cheat. About 20 percent of people aged 55 and over describe their marriages as at least “nominally adulterous.” In other words, about 20 percent of married people who are 55 and up cheat sometimes. Many older married people cheat even more. When something like cheating becomes common, it can lead more people to do it.
Growing Up During the Sexual Revolution
That study points out that most of those older adults are in the Baby Boomer generation. That means they grew up during the “sexual revolution,” and having multiple sex partners can seem common. Seeing ideas of “free love” and sexual awakening while growing up might have led a lot of older Americans to think about having sex outside the marriage.
The author of that study explained that Baby Boomers “may have had swingers for parents, leading offspring to question taboos surrounding infidelity.” In other words, the sexual revolution might have predisposed some older Americans to cheat.
Medications Like Viagra
Over the last two decades, many more people have begun using medications like Viagra. Those medications that treat erectile dysfunction allow people to continue having sex at older ages. As a result, there is more cheating. Drugs like Viagra make cheating more possible than it would have been a few decades ago for older adults.
Staying in an Unhappy Marriage
It may be that older Americans are in unhappy marriages but are still thinking about the stigma of divorce. As such, those older Americans may be more likely to remain in an unhappy marriage and to cheat rather than get a divorce.
Frequency of Gray Divorce
Older Americans might be more likely to consider the stigma of divorce. At the same time, more older adults are getting divorced than ever before. These divorces among older adults are known commonly as “gray divorce.” According to U.S. News & World Report, cheating often happens before a divorce.
Signaling Divorce Intentions
Sometimes cheating can even happen when one spouse wants to signal that they are planning to file for divorce. In other words, a spouse might cheat first and then announce plans for divorce. As more gray divorces happen, cheating might be more common.
Contact a Charleston Divorce Lawyer for Help
Cheating often leads to divorce regardless of your age. Older adults are getting divorced more often, and there are many ways to plan for a gray divorce. At The Peck Law Firm, we can talk with you today about divorce options and your eligibility. Contact a Charleston divorce attorney online or call our firm at (843) 631-7117 to get started on your divorce case.
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