Over the past decade, infidelity rates within Canadian marriage have been slowly creeping upwards, but many were shocked to see the number of cheating spouses skyrocket in 2020, even amid pandemic related lockdown measures enforced earlier this year. With all this time spent together under the same roof, you may be wondering how were these married individuals finding the time, or the space, to engage in affairs outside of the home?
Below, Toronto’s leading Infidelity Investigation Team share some of the shocking facts behind the spike of cheating spouses during COVID-19 and disclose what you can do if you suspect that you’re not the only one that your husband or wife is “isolating” with!
More Stress, More Cheating
As a general rule, infidelity tends to correlate with increased levels of stress in the relationship, or within the family at large. Married people will engage in the intermarital relationship as a form of escape from these building stressors within their home. Given the compounding stress brought upon so many families over the course of the past year, it is unsurprising that the rates of infidelity have also spiked. Financial loss, anxiety, feelings of social isolation, and decreasing mental health as a direct result of COVID-19 have weighed heavily upon families country-wide. Without traditional sources of escape from everyday stressors no longer available – the workplace, gym, social outings or recreational pursuits – this has pushed many to pursue an affair as a coping mechanism during these unprecedented times.
Together, But Not Together
Another contributing factor of climbing infidelity rates? Decreasing intimacy! While many of us are spending more time with our partners than we may have ever spent under the same roof, this hasn’t necessarily translated into closer relationships. In fact, many couples have reported being less intimate in 2020, likely as a result of the increased pressures brought on by the pandemic. For this reason, even those who are not necessarily unhappy within their current relationship, have sought an affair to satisfy their need for a physical connection. Paul Keable, Chief Strategy Officer for Ashley Madison, commented on this need for intimacy last month in a report by The Toronto Star:
“What is interesting is the vast majority of members … continue to tell us that they’re actually not looking for divorce, they still very much love the partner, their spouse, it’s just they’re unwilling to compromise and live a life outside of the thing that’s missing within their primary relationship.”
Paul Keable, Ashley Madison Chief Strategy Officer
Proof in the Numbers!
Unconvinced that more Canadians are cheating? The proof is in the numbers! We’re referring to the steadily climbing number of users reported by Ashley Madison, infamous infidelity dating site. Pre pandemic, the site saw roughly 15,000 new users per day. That number shot up following an initial slump in March, and for the last two months, the rate of new users has held strong at 20,000 per day! The same trends have been reported on other popular dating platforms, including Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid.
Insider Insight from Toronto’s Leading Private Investigator Team
“For some of our clients, the cheating behaviour may not have necessarily started following the COVID-19 outbreak, but suddenly, due to the sudden confinement to home, the warning signs are far more obvious to the other spouse! People are discovering their partner’s second cellphones…noticing them taking their phone to the bathroom…secretive texting or hushed phone calls …password protected electronics, the list goes on. Signs that may have been otherwise concealed in the spaces outside the home, are now right under your nose.”
“The prominence of “hookup” apps, like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge, have also made the chase for sexual satisfaction so much easier, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Enter in your location, and preferences, and BAM – 5 prospects within a 1km radius! Ordering a hookup is now faster and easier than ordering a pizza, so it’s no wonder that infidelity rates show no signs of slowing.”
“Over the course of this year, we’ve worked hard to help our clients prove (or disprove) their suspicions of a straying spouse, many of whom are also concerned for the health of their family during a highly contagious viral outbreak! These cheaters are not only putting their marriage at risk, but they’re potentially increasing their family’s risk of exposure to COVID-19 by engaging with people outside of their bubble!“
Adrianne F. | Director, Star Quality Private Investigations®
Suspect your partner or spouse is cheating? While your gut feeling is almost always right, the best way to secure true clarity (and take legal action, where necessary) is with professionally obtained evidence. As Toronto’s leading Team of Infidelity Investigators, Star Quality Private Investigations® has helped thousands of individuals across the Greater Toronto Area secure high definition 4K video and still photography evidence, collected through covert undercover surveillance. For more information on our highly effective, affordable strategies for exposing cheating spouses, contact the SQPI Toronto Team today, and let us help you get the clarity you deserve.
SOURCE:
https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/11/09/infidelity-dating-site-ashley-madison-sees-spike-in-new-users-thanks-to-covid-19.html