* 77% of cheats say they’ve revealed their infidelity to someone they know, hoping to lighten their load.
* Alarmingly, 1 in 4 cheats have been outed by the person they confided in, finding the burden too much to bear.
* Best friends (34%) are the people love rats turn to when coming clean about their shenanigans, whilst talking to strangers online (22%), hairdressers/barbers (8%) and bartenders (4%) are the unlikely people cheaters trust most with their secrets.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site
A problem shared is a problem halved, right? Wrong – if you’re having an affair. New research has revealed that confiding in the people closest to you about your affair might not be the wisest move if you want to avoid getting caught.
The study conducted by extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com found that 77% of cheats have spilled the beans about their infidelity to someone they know.
Historical research provided by the website shows that in 2018 just 18% of people were betrayed by the person they confided in when it came to revealing their infidelity. However, a recent poll has found a significant increase in backstabbing as now 1 in 4 people get ratted out by the very people they believe they can trust the most, proving that loose lips really do sink ships.
So, who are cheaters most likely to share their darkest affair secrets with?
Best buddies are the top pick (34%), while others prefer to keep it in the family offloading on their siblings (27%).
Surprisingly, 22% of cheats have found themselves disclosing their infidelity to strangers online, with safe spaces like the Illicitencounters.com ‘Flirt Forum’ where love rats can vent, seek advice, and spill the juiciest details without fear of discovery.
If you suspect your partner’s having an affair, you might also want to consider talking to their hairdresser or barber. It turns out 8% of people have revealed details of their affair while going for a trim, making your hair appointments more like therapy sessions, whilst 4% of cheaters have poured their hearts out to bartenders.
Emily from Stoke-on-Trent, a member of IllicitEncounters who took part in the study said, “I’ve known my best friend for much longer than I’ve known my husband – I’d trust her with my life. Talking to her about my affair was one of the hardest but most liberating decisions I’ve ever made. Her support and non-judgmental approach was exactly what I needed, and there’s the extra perk of her now being my alibi when I’m meeting up with my lover.
I know it’s risky letting people know what I’m getting up to behind my husband’s back, but the weight of my secret was becoming too much to bear and I just needed to spill the beans to someone – I can’t tell you how much of a relief it was.”
Jessica Leoni, IllicitEncounters.com’s sex and relationships expert commented, “It’s fascinating to see just how many people turn to people they know when it comes to disclosing secret infidelity, highlighting the human need for emotional support and understanding during times of turmoil in a relationship.
Close friends often serve as a safe space where individuals can seek advice, gain perspective, and find comfort when grappling with the complex emotions surrounding infidelity. In cases like this, a problem shared really is a problem halved.
Of course, there’s always a risk when it comes to confiding such an immense secret with people you know – make sure they really can be trusted to keep schtum because you could easily see this backfire.”
Results
People cheaters are most likely to confide in:
Best friends – 34%
Siblings – 27%
Strangers online – 22%
Co-workers – 16%
Parents – 11%
Hairdressers/barbers – 8%
Bartenders – 4%
Other – 2%
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