* A shocking proposal was made in an online forum, suggesting the 29th February should be an opportunity for people to cheat on their partners without consequences.

* Rather than being met with disdain, the initial post received a wave of positive responses, causing concern for married people.

* Relationship expert suggests cheating on the 29th February could actually be beneficial for relationships, as 72% of married people said they were happier in their marriage since they started having an affair.

* The post on the IllicitEncounters.com ‘Flirt Forum’ is just one of many unconventional topics discussed.

In the world of love and romance, traditions have often leaned towards the conventional, with men taking the lead in popping the question. However, every four years, the tables turn and women can take the reins on the 29th February.

But the leap year tradition sparked a controversial discussion on extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com’s ‘Flirt Forum’. 

The debate began when a user posted a suggestion that would normally raise eyebrows, reading: “Since it’s a leap year, women can propose on the 29th February. And that got me thinking… for people who are already married or engaged, we should celebrate ‘Cheat Leap’, where cheating in a leap year doesn’t count! Sounds like a good enough excuse to play away this year… Or maybe the 29th should be ‘Come On To Someone Else’s Spouse Day’. What do we reckon?”

The shocking suggestion, rather than being met with disgust, was actually applauded by people who responded. One user reacted, “Good lord, genius, a national f**k another partner day.”

Another added, “Sounds perfect I like that idea…”, whilst someone declared they would “give it a try on the 29th, who knows it could be worth a leap of faith for one time”.

One user seemed to welcome the idea, stating “I’m thinking that sex at home is probably once every leap year….I’m looking for my temperature to be risen a lot more frequently than that.”

Although it’s a concerning topic that might spark fears for people in relationships, it turns out, having an affair might not be such a bad thing after all.

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, commented on the discussion, saying, “Our Flirt Forum is full of some rather unexpected conversations, with topics you really won’t find anywhere else.

It’s interesting to see that people who have already gone through the proposal process might end up feeling a little left out when leap years come around.

However, back in November 2023, a study we conducted showed that 72% of married people said they were happier in their marriage since they started having an affair – which actually became a topic of discussion on Good Morning Britain. 

So, actually, having an affair on the 29th February, or during a leap year might not be such a bad thing for your marriage after all.”

* Men are more likely to regret getting married to their partner (72%), compared to women (54%).

* Marital remorse is most likely to hit in the third year of marriage – the majority of those who regret getting married (38%) believe they married the wrong person, and would have been better off staying with an ex. 

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

The moment you say ‘I do’ is usually seen by couples as one of the highlights of a relationship – a milestone you’ll never forget. 

But it turns out that the initial wedding bliss doesn’t last long before people start wondering if they made the right decision, especially if you’re a man.

According to research conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, who surveyed 1,800 users of the extramarital dating site, nearly three quarters of men (72%) and over half of women (54%) have regrets about tying the knot.

So, how long after a wedding can you expect marital remorse to kick in? Shockingly, one in ten people questioned if they made the right decision within the first year of marriage. But for the majority, you can expect the regret to start taking its toll three years after the initial ‘I do’.

Incredibly, people who regret getting married to their partner aren’t actually against the idea of tying the knot – they just chose the wrong person to do it with. In fact, 38% say they should have stayed together with an ex.

The dull routine of married life was the next big reason people have second thoughts about getting married, with 1 in 3 people declaring they hate the monotony of matrimony. 

No longer being physically attracted to their partner led to 1 in 5 people declaring they wish they hadn’t gone ahead with getting married in the first place.

A member of the extramarital dating site who took part in the survey, Samuel, said, “It was about two and half years into my marriage that I started regretting my decision to walk down the aisle – I’d never been a massive fan of the idea, but I knew that’s what my wife expected of me, so I just popped the question to make her happy.

The regret really started to sink in when I came across my ex’s social media profile. I started questioning why I’d ever broken up with her – she was kind, stunning, interesting, funny… but at the time I just wasn’t ready for anything serious, so we parted ways.

I couldn’t go on thinking about what might have been, so I bit the bullet and contacted her. It soon escalated into a steamy meet-up, and although it was a one-time thing, it definitely stirred something inside me because life’s just far too short to live in regret.”

Sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, commented, “As relationships evolve, the initial romanticised vision may clash with the practicalities of everyday life, triggering a sense of disappointment.

The truth is, people’s expectations and the reality of marriage are usually misaligned – you might be under the impression that saying ‘I do’ will lead to a life of rainbows and butterflies, but marriages are hard work!

Marital remorse can be really risky when it hits, especially if you find yourself thinking about past relationships. People may start questioning whether the grass is greener on the other side, and ultimately that could be the push that sees them playing away.”

* The Tuesday before Valentine’s Day is the most popular time for people to get dumped.
* 37% of people revealed they’ve dumped their partner in the week leading up to Valentine’s Day.
* Of those, 52% admitted to ditching their partner on the Tuesday before Valentine’s Day, also known as ‘Red Tuesday’.
* The go-to method for breaking up is via WhatsApp messages (33%), followed by face-to-face dumping (21%) and breaking the news on a phone call (17%).
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s usually a time filled with romance and anticipation for couples. You might be expecting a fancy gift or dinner at a snazzy restaurant, but actually, new research reveals that you could fall victim to ‘Red Tuesday’ instead.

Today is the day that people are most likely to be dumped. Yes, really. 

According to a survey by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, the Tuesday before Valentine’s Day, known as ‘Red Tuesday’, could see your relationship crashing down just before the most romantic day of the year.

The website polled 1,500 of its members, and incredibly, 37% admitted to breaking up with their partner in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

Of those, a whopping 52% said they dumped their other half on ‘Red Tuesday’.

45% revealed that they dumped their partner in the week leading up to the most romantic day of the year, and 5% had the guts to end their relationship on Valentine’s Day itself!

So, what’s the most popular method when it comes to throwing in the towel? 33% of people went down the WhatsApp message route, whilst 21% mustered up the courage to break the bad news face-to-face. 8% didn’t even bother letting their partner know the relationship was over, and simply ghosted them – ouch!

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert and spokesperson at IllicitEncounters.com, commented on the ‘Red Tuesday’ phenomenon, saying, “It’s a bit of a “V-Day pressure cooker” situation. As we get closer to the day of romance and roses, there’s this expectation to have this epic, Instagram-worthy love story. Suddenly, people find themselves questioning if their current relationship is measuring up to the grand gestures they see all over social media.

And let’s not forget the gift-giving stress that comes with celebrating Valentine’s Day. If one person is expecting a romantic masterpiece and ends up with a last-minute box of chocolates, it can lead to some serious disappointment.”

Leoni even suggested that people don’t give into the hype of Valentine’s Day, saying “I actually recommend that couples AVOID celebrating Valentine’s Day if you really want your love to thrive. Don’t give in to the commercialisation of the day, because you’re just adding extra strain to relationships, especially if they’re already on unsteady ground.”

Results
Ways people have dumped their partner around Valentine’s Day

WhatsApp message 33%
Face to face 21%
Phone call 17%
Social media 14%
Ghosting 8%
Through a friend 5%
Other 2%