Cheating is considered taboo in most relationships, but that doesn’t stop some people pursuing sex outside of their marriage or partnership.
Now the most common excuses used by these unscrupulous wives or husbands has been revealed.
Ashley Madison, a married dating website, asked its users what excuses they most commonly used when cheating on their partners.
Do you recognise any of the common excuses? If so, it might be cause for concern.
Men and women have different excuses they are likely to give.
However, both men and women, going out with friends and working late are the top two excuses used when having an affair.
Both excuses allow for more time out of the house compared to other common choices, such as going to the gym or a business trip, which probably doesn’t happen all that often for most people and require extra props, like a suitcase, gym bag, or making purchases for travel items.
Top five excuses for men
Working late – 32 per cent
Going out with friends – 21 per cent
Business trip – 15 per cent
Going out with colleagues – 14 per cent
Going to the gym – 9 per cent
Top five excuses for women
Going out with friends – 29 per cent
Working late – 18 per cent
A friend covers for me and says I was with them – 17 per cent
Shopping – 15 per cent
Going to the gym – 12 per cent
According to the data, 50 per cent say they only occasionally change their excuse, just often enough to throw their spouse off their trail.
For the rest of respondents, 25 per cent say they always use the same excuse and the other 25 per cent say they never use the same excuse.
It seems that for the majority of cheaters, they’re strategic enough to get creative when it comes to their extramarital liasons.
“Discretion is at the heart of infidelity and it’s at the heart of Ashley Madison,” says Isabella Mise, Director of Communications at Ashley Madison.
“Our members seek discretion and they find that through our service, but it does take some creativity on their end and we’re seeing that with the excuses they tell their spouses to avoid being discovered.”
A private investigator recently revealed more signs you partner might be unfaithful.