Women’s infidelity is often a result of feeling frustrated in a relationship. Many look for love elsewhere if they are feeling neglected and underappreciated. Women who are in emotionally fulfilling relationships are less likely to cheat.
Women are more nurturing and seek intimacy rather than just sex so their infidelity may be somewhat underestimated.
Different stages at which men and women cheat
One study found that women are more likely to cheat on their partners between six and 10 years of marriage. Men, on the other hand, had a less specific window for committing adultery, but infidelity after 11 years was most common. This study, published in The Journal of Sex Research, seemed to corroborate the ‘seven-year itch’ idea which suggests that after seven years, women are more likely to cheat because the relationship is starting to tail off.
Attitudes to men and women cheating
Society has tended to frown on women cheating. For centuries women did not feel free to talk about sex or to express their sexual desires. They were supposed to be loyal to their men and give them what they wanted. Traditionally, women also had fewer opportunities for cheating on their husbands because they tended to stay at home with the children.
