When most people hear the word “cheater,” they picture a man in their head. Men and women are both capable of having an affair, but men are roped into the stereotype a lot more often than women. This begs the question: do men cheat more often than women? Is there some merit to this long-accepted myth? Let’s take a look at some statistics to see which gender is more likely to commit infidelity.
Infidelity Statistics: Cheating Men vs. Cheating Women
The easiest way to figure out if men cheat more often than women is to look at current infidelity statistics, courtesy of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy:
- 57% of men overall admit to committing infidelity at some point in their lives
- 54% of women overall admit to committing infidelity in one or more of their relationships
- 22% of married men admit to having an affair at least once during their marriages
- 14% of married women admit to having an affair at least once during their marriages
As you can see, the percentages of men and women who have cheated in a relationship are very similar. However, when you look into the lives of married couples, men do have a higher rate of infidelity than women. These numbers may be skewed based on the number of people who were willing, to tell the truth about their infidelity, but it is safe to say that as a whole, both genders have the ability to cheat on one another.
What Is Classified As “Cheating”?
It’s important to note that cheating can come in many different forms. Most people associate this term with physical acts of infidelity, but it is possible to cheat on someone emotionally. Emotional cheating involves sharing your deepest, most private thoughts with someone other than your spouse, breaking the fundamental bonds that keep a marriage together. Whether you physically interact with another person or you just give yourself over to them mentally, you can still do tremendous damage by straying from your relationship.
How To Rebuild A Relationship After Cheating
Regardless of who cheated in your relationship, there is hope for the future. With the help of couples counseling after an affair, you can rebuild your trust and save yourself from divorce. This is not an easy process, but it is worth the victory that comes from it. As long as you are willing to put in the effort it takes, you can find happiness in your marriage once again.