Study Suggests Poor Economy Causes Cheating

 Posted on May 20, 2014 in Family Law

Various research suggests that when the economy is bad, the divorce rate falls. However, analysts have used data from one dating website to study whether or not there is a parallel between the economy and adultery. The website is called Ashley Madison, and unlike other dating websites that promise users the opportunity of finding a spouse, Ashley Madison markets their site for people seeking to have discreet extramarital affairs and engage in cheating.

Researchers found that in 2008, when the economy took a major nose-dive, the Ashley Madison's membership rose by 192 percent in the U.S., almost tripling the typical annual growth for the site. They found that the states with the biggest changes in employment rate that year had the biggest growth in the site's membership.

One of the researchers, sociologist Eric Anderson, said, "It may very well be that in times of distress, that one's partner could also be viewed with antipathy, leading one to cheat." Anderson, who teaches at the University of Winchester in England, also said that people may look to affairs as a way to escape the worry and stress from financial issues.

Other statistics gathered from the study included:

• Almost one-third of Ashley Madison members signed up between three to five years after they were married. This also coincided with the birth of a first child;
• Women ages 39 years old are four times more likely to enroll on the site than women who are 38 or 40 years old;
• A fourth of the members enrolled are suffering from empty nest syndrome, with the children leaving for college. The women in this group are usually between the ages of 55 and 58, and the men typically between 60 and 65 years old.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 60 million married couples in this country and according to Ashley Madison, 13 million Americans have signed up on their site. Seventy-five percent of those enrolled are either married or in a "committed relationship."

If you have discovered that your spouse is cheating and are considering divorce, contact an experienced Austin family law attorney to represent your best interests in what can be a complicated legal process.