Author: Mia L.W.

Mia L.W. is a relationships writer who specialises in the hidden corners of modern love — the unspoken desires, the emotional grey areas, and the private decisions people make when connection feels out of reach. With a background in storytelling and a sharp eye for human behaviour, Mia brings empathy, nuance and honesty to every piece she writes. Her work explores the realities behind affairs, long‑term partnerships, and the search for intimacy in a world that rarely slows down. She’s known for blending real‑world insight with a warm, conversational tone that makes readers feel understood rather than judged. When she’s not writing for Illicit Encounters, Mia can usually be found people‑watching in cafés, devouring psychology books, or collecting stories that reveal what relationships look like behind closed doors.

Two weeks down, four to go: the ‘six-week itch’ sees affair site sign-ups jump 34% as parents hit the school-holiday wall

Key findings

  • Sign-ups to IllicitEncounters.com are already running 34% above the school-term average, just two weeks into the six-week summer holiday.
  • Women account for 58% of new members so far this holiday, and 46% of those are aged 35 to 44.
  • The busiest hour for joining is 9pm to 10pm, once the children are in bed, accounting for 22% of daily sign-ups.
  • Asked what tipped them over the edge, 61% said having no time alone as a couple, ahead of constant childcare rows (48%).
  • The results come from registration data and a poll of 2,000 members by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading extramarital dating site.

Britain’s schools broke up a fortnight ago and there are still four weeks of it to go – which, according to new research, is about a fortnight longer than a good many parents can comfortably stand. The novelty, it seems, has a short shelf life.

IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading extramarital dating site, has recorded sign-ups running 34% above its school-term average since the schools shut – a figure it expects to pass 45% in the final fortnight of August. It has a name for the pattern: the six-week itch.

The site also polled 2,000 members who have joined or become active since the start of the holidays. Asked what pushed them to join, 61% pointed to having no time alone as a couple, followed by constant childcare rows (48%), a partner who had checked out on the sofa (44%) and a sex life shelved until September (39%). Respondents could pick more than one.

The summer intake also looks rather different from the rest of the year. Women make up 58% of new members so far this holiday, against 51% in term time – and of those women, 46% are aged between 35 and 44, the bracket most likely to have primary-school-age children at home.

The registration data also shows when the itch tends to bite. Sign-ups have climbed every week since the schools shut, and the average member who joined this holiday did so 11 days in.

And there is a clear hour for it – 22% of daily sign-ups now land between 9pm and 10pm, once the children are down and the house has finally gone quiet.

The pattern fits what the site records later in the year, when registrations climb again in the first week of September, once parents have the house back and the school day to themselves. The summer sign-up tends to come first; the chance to act on it arrives a few weeks later. It is the same August spike behind the site’s recent research on the anniversary reckoning, when a wedding anniversary falling in the school holidays can be the moment a marriage tips.

Claire*, 38, from Warrington, joined in the last week of July. “I love them to bits, but I don’t think I’ve had a conversation that wasn’t about snacks or screen time since they broke up,” she says. “Me and my husband just tag in and tag out. He does the morning, I do the afternoon. By nine o’clock he’s on his phone and I’m on mine, and that’s it, that’s the evening. I signed up on one of those nights. I wasn’t even really looking for anything. I just wanted somebody to find me interesting for ten minutes.”

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “We are two weeks in and it has already started, which tells you something. Most parents can get through a fortnight of packed lunches and soft play – it’s weeks three, four and five that do the damage, when the money has gone and September still feels a very long way off.”

She added: “I have been doing this for over 20 years and August is always our busiest month for parents. The holidays don’t break a marriage. They take away the distractions that were holding it together, and people notice what has been missing. Nobody signing up this week is running away from their children. They are looking for one hour where somebody talks to them like an adult.”

Results

What tipped parents into joining in the first fortnight of the school holidays (respondents could select more than one).

Trigger % of those polled
No time alone as a couple 61%
Constant childcare rows 48%
Partner checked out on the sofa 44%
Sex life shelved until September 39%
No conversation beyond logistics 33%
Money stress over the holidays 27%
Feeling invisible to a partner 24%

*Name has been changed.

About Illicit Encounters

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s largest and longest-running extramarital dating site, established in 2004. The site has over one million UK members and publishes regular research on modern infidelity and relationships in Britain, with expert commentary from sex and relationships expert Jessica Leoni.

Press contact: [email protected]

Forget the villa: a third of Brits admit to a real-life ‘Casa Amor’ — straying, or coming close, the moment their partner’s back is turned

Key findings

  • 34% of coupled-up Brits admit they’ve strayed, or come close, while their partner was away – their own real-life ‘Casa Amor’. For 16% of all those polled, it went all the way.
  • Work trips are the biggest danger zone (39%), ahead of girls’ and lads’ holidays (31%) and stag and hen weekends (22%).
  • As Love Island crowned Lorenzo and Julia on Monday night, 68% of Brits are betting the couple won’t last the year.
  • 41% say watching the show has started a row at home about loyalty, jealousy or an ex.
  • The results come from a poll of 2,000 members by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading extramarital dating site.

Britain spent last night glued to the Love Island final, watching Maya Jama crown Lorenzo Alessi and Julia Majchrzak as the couple who survived every bombshell and Casa Amor twist the villa could throw at them. Turns out plenty of us have taken that same test ourselves, off camera. And failed it.

IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading extramarital dating site, put the question to 2,000 of its members, and 34% owned up to a Casa Amor moment of their own: a spell when their partner was away and they either strayed or came very close to it. Most stopped at the brink. But for 16% of everyone polled – roughly one in six – it went all the way.

The danger zones will surprise nobody who watches the show. Work trips came out top, with 39% pointing to a night away for the job as the moment temptation crept in, followed by the girls’ or lads’ holiday (31%) and the stag or hen do (22%). Men were quicker to act on it: 21% went through with it, against 12% of women, who were more likely to wobble and pull back at the last minute.

The show causes its share of trouble at home too. 41% of members said watching Love Island had started a row with their partner about loyalty or jealousy, usually during Casa Amor week, or when somebody got a bit too defensive about a contestant whose head had been turned.

The site’s own traffic tells the same story. Visits to IllicitEncounters.com climbed 24% during Casa Amor week, its busiest stretch of the whole summer, and it was women doing most of the messaging. The pattern echoes the site’s recent research on holiday flings, which found a third of Brits say a fling on holiday doesn’t really count.

As for Lorenzo and Julia, don’t expect the members to send a card. 68% reckon the couple won’t make it to next summer. Some of that is Love Island’s track record talking. But plenty of IE’s members were once the couple everyone else envied.

Chloe*, 34, from Nottingham, had her own Casa Amor moment on a hen weekend. “I honestly wasn’t looking for anything,” she says. “But the minute I was away from home it was like the normal rules didn’t count. That’s the bit people don’t admit about the villa – you tell yourself it doesn’t matter because you’re somewhere else, with different people around you.”

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “Everyone’s very quick to shout at the telly when somebody’s head gets turned in Casa Amor. But be honest – how many of us would actually pass that test? Take someone out of their routine, put them somewhere new where nobody knows them, and you find out very quickly how solid things really are back home.”

She added: “I’ve been doing this for over 20 years and I’ve never once seen a work trip make somebody cheat. What the time away does is remove whatever was stopping them. If things are good at home, a few nights in a Travelodge is just a few nights in a Travelodge. If they’re not, it starts to feel like your own private Casa Amor – and hand on heart, that feeling was there long before the show came back on.”

Results

When Brits are most likely to have a real-life ‘Casa Amor’ moment (respondents could select more than one).

When a ‘Casa Amor’ moment is most likely (partner away) % who’ve been tempted
On a work trip or conference away from home 39%
On a ‘girls’ / lads’ holiday 31%
On a stag or hen weekend 22%
When a partner visits family without them 17%
When a partner is away with the kids 11%
On a night out when a partner has gone home early 9%

*Name has been changed.

About Illicit Encounters

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s largest and longest-running extramarital dating site, established in 2004. The site has over one million UK members and publishes regular research on modern infidelity and relationships in Britain, with expert commentary from sex and relationships expert Jessica Leoni.

Press contact: [email protected]

It doesn’t count if it’s abroad: 1 in 3 Brits say a holiday fling isn’t really cheating

Key findings

  • 34% of Brits say being unfaithful with someone else while on holiday “doesn’t count” as infidelity.
  • 41% believe a holiday fling is fundamentally different from an affair at home – citing distance, anonymity and the “holiday version of themselves” as reasons.
  • 27% say what happens abroad should stay abroad – and their partner would agree.
  • 19% admit they’ve acted on that belief; of those, 74% say they have no regrets.
  • Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

It’s one of Britain’s most quietly held beliefs – and according to new data, a surprisingly large number of people genuinely stand by it: if it happens abroad, it doesn’t really count.

A poll of 2,000 adults conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, has found that 1 in 3 Brits (34%) do not consider a sexual encounter with someone else while on holiday to constitute cheating – at least not in the traditional sense. And with the peak summer holiday season now under way, the timing could not be more relevant.

The reasoning, it turns out, is remarkably consistent. 41% say a holiday fling feels fundamentally different from an affair at home – citing the distance from normal life, the anonymity of being somewhere nobody knows you, and what several respondents described as becoming a “different version of themselves” the moment they land. The rules of home, they argue, simply don’t follow you through the departure gate.

27% go further still, saying not only do they believe what happens abroad stays abroad – but that their partner, on some level, would quietly agree. A kind of unspoken holiday amnesty, observed but never discussed.

19% admit they have acted on that belief at some point in their relationship – and never mentioned it to their partner. Of those, 74% say they have no regrets, and 61% say it had no negative impact on their relationship whatsoever.

The holiday locations most associated with the “it doesn’t count” mentality are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the sun-and-sangria circuit. Spain topped the list, cited by 37% of respondents, followed by Greece (30%), Ibiza specifically (28%), Dubai (22%) and Italy (19%).

The pattern shows up again in a separate strand of the site’s summer research on real-life Casa Amor, which found a third of Brits admit to straying, or coming close, the moment their partner’s back is turned – with the girls’ or lads’ holiday abroad one of the most likely settings.

“Mark*”, 43, from Leeds, is unrepentant. “I’ve been with my wife for fifteen years and I love her completely. But I’ve had two holiday flings in that time – once in Barcelona, once in Dubai – and I genuinely don’t think of either as cheating. You’re in a different country, you’re a different person, and it goes no further. It stays there. That’s just how I see it.”

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “The ‘it doesn’t count abroad’ rule is one of the great unspoken agreements in British relationship culture – and our data suggests it’s far more widespread than most people would admit at a dinner party. What’s interesting is that it isn’t just men saying this. Women are almost equally likely to hold this view, which tells you something about how the idea of a ‘holiday self’ has become genuinely embedded in the way Brits think about fidelity.”

She added: “Whether it counts or not is, of course, entirely a matter of what you and your partner have agreed – explicitly or otherwise. But the fact that nearly 1 in 5 people have acted on this belief and never told their partner suggests that for a significant chunk of the population, the holiday fling occupies its own moral category entirely. Not quite an affair. Not quite nothing. Just something that happened in the sun, and stayed there.”

Results

Top destinations where Brits have had holiday affairs.

Destination %
Spain 37%
Greece 30%
Ibiza 28%
Dubai 22%
Italy 19%
Tenerife 18%
Turkey 15%
Portugal 10%
Mexico 6%
Thailand 5%

*Name has been changed to protect identity.

About Illicit Encounters

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s largest and longest-running extramarital dating site, established in 2004. The site has over one million UK members and publishes regular research on modern infidelity and relationships in Britain, with expert commentary from sex and relationships expert Jessica Leoni.

Press contact: [email protected]

The 10 biggest sex mistakes made by women and men are revealed

What the numbers show

* Women’s biggest mistake, according to men, is failing to initiate sex more often;

* Men’s biggest mistake, according to women, is to skip foreplay and rush straight into full sex;

* Results are from a new survey of 2,000 people by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating agency for married people;

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

* IllicitEncounters spokeswoman Jessica Leoni said: “We find that what primarily drives people to have an affair is bad sex. Avoid these mistakes and there is less risk of your partner cheating.”

The 10 biggest sex mistakes made by women and men have been revealed.

Women’s biggest mistake, according to men, is failing to initiate sex more often.

Two-thirds of men (64%) said they primarily get sex started in a relationship and they would like it if their partner did this more.

Men’s biggest mistake, according to 74% of women, is skipping on foreplay and rushing straight into full sex.

The results are revealed in a new survey of 2,000 men and women, split evenly between the sexes, by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating website for married people.

It got men and women to list their top 10 sex pet hates in the hope of making both sexes better lovers.

The second biggest mistake women make is always wanting sex in the dark, according to 64% of the men polled.

In third place was faking an orgasm, with almost half of men (46%) saying they can tell if a woman does this.

Fourth place was talking too much (42% men complained about this) and fifth place was never asking for something new (39% of men mentioned this).

The second biggest male mistake, according to 68% of women, is having their orgasm first and not ensuring they return the compliment.

In third place was being clumsy and not treating her body parts with enough sensitivity, with 62% of women complaining of this.

Fourth place was talking dirty in a crude way (52% of women said they had experienced this) and the fifth biggest turn off was a lack of communication/intimacy after sex (47% of women mentioned this).

IllicitEncounters.com spokeswoman Jessica Leoni said: “We find that what drives people to have an affair primarily is a lack sexual satisfaction at home.

“The key reason why both men and women are fed up with their partners is because they are not prepared to change and keep making these fundamental mistakes in the bedroom.

“If you avoid these simple mistakes there is less risk of your partner cheating.

“And you have a much better chance of pleasing a new lover if you do decide to cheat.”

IllicitEncounters.com is enjoying the busiest year in its 16-year history with a 25% rise in registrations in the first quarter of 2019.

The biggest surges have occurred in regions of the UK which voted for Brexit in the referendum with members saying they felt betrayed by the Government and that meant them more likely to cheat on a partner.

Women’s 10 biggest sex mistakes, according to men

  1. Fail to initiate sex  
  2. Always wanting sex in the dark
  3. Faking an orgasm
  4. Talking too much
  5. Never asking for anything new
  6. Mentioning what a previous lover did in bed
  7. Over-thinking sex
  8. Being too timid
  9. Believing he is always up for sex
  10. Worrying too much about how they look

Men’s 10 biggest sex mistakes, according to women

  1. Skipping on foreplay and rushing straight into full sex
  2. Having an orgasm first
  3. Being clumsy
  4. Talking dirty in a crude way
  5. Lack of communication/intimacy after sex
  6. Fall asleep as soon as they have finished
  7. Commenting on women’s body shape
  8. Assume you know what she wants
  9. Rigidly stick to your plan and ignoring her body language
  10. Keep it completely physical with no emotional connection

* First night sex has lead to romance for a third of couple

Website reveals business owners are the biggest adulterers in the UK

The key findings

  • 65% of entrepreneurs have affairs, making them officially the biggest cheats in the UK
  • Tech business owners are the most prone to cheating
  • 70% of business owners revealed that their line of work influenced their decision to have an affair
  • 23% of adulterers are business owners, tripling since 2004

Looking for real, lasting love? You better stay away from entrepreneurs, officially the biggest cheats in the UK.

What the numbers show

A shocking 65% of business owners have affairs, making their line of work the most prone to cheating in the country. Of these, 82% are men and 18% women.

Results are from a recent survey of 2,500 members of IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people.

When asked if owning a business influenced their choice of having an affair, a staggering 70% voted yes, saying that their job made them more confident to “get back out there”.

Other reasons included a “go-getter mindset” and “seeking a relaxing environment outside of work.”

Bad news keeps coming for the entrepreneurial world, as the study also revealed that almost one quarter (23%) of people who cheat on their partner are business owners.

And what used to be considered a field for nerds and introverts is now a hotbed for infidelity, as entrepreneurs in the technology industry are the biggest adulterers.

The top industries in which business owners cheat:

  1.         Tech (30%)
  2.         Retail (21%)
  3.         Media (19%)
  4.         Sales (16%)
  5.         Other (14%)

Charles, 42, tech start-up founder from London, says: “I started cheating on my wife 4 years after founding my own company.  

“I was networking a lot and I could schedule my working hours: it was the ideal situation.

“I also have a different perspective on relationships now. Owning a business has made a more confident man, and more of a go-getter”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com Jessica Leoni explains: “We wanted to know if in 2019  any career was more prone to cheating than others, and we definitely got more than we bargained for.

The number of business owners cheating has tripled in the last 15 year as they now make up 23% of the total number of cheats (up from 8% in 2004).

Jessica Leoni comments: “It seems entrepreneurs are getting more confident, maybe even a bit cocky.

“Spouses, beware: we are expecting an even bigger increase of adultery from business owners in the years to come. Want a loyal partner? Definitely look elsewhere.”

NOTES TO EDITOR

About the research

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 15 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Jessica Leoni through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07 824 353 986
Twitter: @cheatsafer

The 360 Top Towns for Extra-Marital Affairs

What the numbers show

A new cheating map reveals the UK’s 360 top towns for extra-marital affairs with posh Windsor our adultery capital

* The royal town in Berkshire has 1,555 men and women having affairs – 4.29% of the population;
* Sex in the suburbs is booming with the top ten dominated by wealthy South East commuter towns including Henley-on-Thames, Staines, Farnham and Beaconsfield;
* Bournemouth is the most faithful town with less than 1% of the population having affairs;
* Enter your postcode in the  Infidelity Index to find out how many people are cheating where you live

Picture of Windsor Castle just behind the river Thames in Windsor, Berkshire (1)

The cheating capital of the UK is wealthy Windsor in Berkshire, according to a new table of the country’s 360 adultery hotspots.

The town – home of Windsor Castle, one of the Queen’s official residences – has been officially named as the place where a husband or wife is most likely to have an affair.
Windsor has 1,555 people cheating.

The interactive Infidelity Index allows users to search a city, town or postcode to discover how many people are having affairs in any locality.

This year’s table from IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people, shows that sex in the suburbs is booming with five wealthy commuter towns in the South East in the top ten.

Click here to find your local figure – based on data from one million postcodes – https://www.illicitencounters.com/map/standalone

Windsor came out highest with 4.29% of the population cheating.
In second place was Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan with 869 cheats (4.12% of the population), making it the cheating capital of Wales.

Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire was third with 458 cheats (3.98% of the population), Barnstaple in Devon was fourth with 931 cheats (3.22% of the population) and another London commuter town, Staines in Surrey, was fifth with 814 cheats (3.16% of the population).

Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, eighth in the UK table, was Scotland’s cheating capital with 1,431 cheats (3.15% of the population).

The most faithful town was Bournemouth in Hampshire – where less than 1% of the population are cheating.

Windsor, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married last year,  is one of the UK’s tourism hotspots with 7.6 million visitors a year.

With an average house price of £574,860 – more than double the national average of £242,639 – it is one of the most desirable places to live in the UK.

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

IllicitEncounters.com spokesman Christian Grant said: “Windsor is the UK’s new cheating capital.
“It is one of a number of posh commuter towns in the top ten and shows that sex in the suburbs has never been more popular.
“Lots of couples cannot afford to divorce due to the cost of establishing two new homes, so they are sticking with their partner and adding some spice to their marriage by discreetly having an affair.
“They know that with a site such as IllicitEncounters they can have an affair with a like-minded partner who is also looking to cheat. Both sides can have some fun without upsetting things at home.”
The figures are based on IllicitEncounters’ own extensive data on the numbers of Britons cheating.

Since its inception 16 years ago, more than one million people have registered with the site. IllicitEncounters.com has seen a 25% surge in registrations in the last five years and each week around 20,000 people are conducting affairs on the site.
The average income of men on the site is £54,000 a year – with most working in professional jobs.

 
Case study – Helen from Leeds met her future husband after embarking on an affair 
“I met my husband at university. He had a brain tumour and couldn’t have sex because of his medication. Naively I thought I was being a good person or that it would get better with time.
“We had been married six years when I joined IllicitEncounters.com. I didn’t have a plan in mind or any idea really what I was doing but by this point I was worn down by the lack of intimacy.
“My self-esteem had fallen through the floor and I thought there was something wrong with me. At first I was scared that if men said I was unattractive it would validate how I felt.
“I got a message from my now fiancé. He was easy to talk to and had similar issues in his marriage.

“After a month we met. We didn’t talk about leaving our partners, however, as our home relationships continued to decline, possibly because we now put less effort in, we did decide to be together.

“Since then we have moved in together and got engaged at New Year! I’ve never been so happy. I still struggle to accept his compliments as my past experience still leaves me doubting myself.
“But I now feel part of a team rather than being so lonely, lost and hurt in my marriage.”

About the research


NOTES TO EDITOR
Illicitencounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 15 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 7729 6098
Twitter: @cheatsafer

Britain’s top ten sex fantasies are revealed

* Results are from a new survey of 2,000 people by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people

What the numbers show

More than half of women have fantasized about having sex with an ex-boyfriend while making love with their current partner, according to a new survey.

The encounter women are most likely to revisit in their head is sex with their first love, with 38% saying they have done this.

Less than quarter of women (24%) feel guilty about these reminisces – with the majority (76%) seeing it as part of life.

Slightly fewer men have sex with the ex in their heads.

Half of men (53%) have fantasized about past sexual encounters while having sex with their partner.

The first love was the most common sexual fantasy, chosen by 23% of men, and only 16% of men felt guilty about their behaviour.

The results come from a new survey of 2,000 people split evenly amongst men and women by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading website for married people.

It looked at the top ten fantasies which people have when they are having sex with their current partners.

Women reminiscing about sex with a former partner was by far the most popular fantasy, with 57% saying they have done this.

The second most popular fantasy for both women and men was recalling a sex scene they have watched on TV or online, chosen by 40% of respondents.

In third place was sex with a celebrity, chosen by 38% of respondents – slightly more popular with women (40%) than men (36%).

The fourth most popular fantasy was a previous sexual encounter with their current partner – with 36% men and women regularly revisiting a particularly passionate former act of love-making.

Sex with a stranger came in fifth place on 29% – more popular with men (31%) than women (27%).

A sexual encounter with a work colleague was the sixth most popular fantasy – chosen with 27% of men and women.

Sex with a friend came seventh with 25%  – more popular with women (27%) than men (23%).

Group sex was the eighth most popular fantasy with a score of 19%  – chosen by far more men (25%) than women (13%).

In ninth place was sex in a public place, chosen by 14% of respondents, and sex with someone in authority such as a police officer or traffic warden came tenth (11%).

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

IllicitEncounters.com spokesman Christian Grant said: “What this new sex fantasy research shows is that the grass really is greener for a lot of couples who like to reminisce with fondness about past sexual encounters even when they are having sex with their current lovers.

“Sex has become routine for far too many couples and they are choosing to spice things up by starting an affair not just in their fantasies but in reality, too.

“They are hooking up with former lovers on social media sites such as Facebook and using dating sites such as IllicitEncounters.com to meet like-minded people for discreet affairs.”

More than one million people have registered with IllicitEncounters.com since the site was started more than ten years ago.It is enjoying a bumper start to 2019 with registrations up 25% in the first six weeks, as increasing numbers of unhappy spouses act on their New Year’s Resolution to shake up their relationship by starting an affair.

About the research

Britain’s top ten sexual fantasies revealed

  1. Sex with the ex – 55%
  2. A sex scene on TV or online – 40%
  3. Sex with a celebrity – 38%
  4. Sex with my current partner – 36%
  5. Sex with a stranger – 29%
  6. An affair with a work colleague – 27%
  7. Sex with a friend – 25%
  8. Group sex – 19%
  9. Sex in a public place – 14%
  10. Sex with someone in authority – police officer or traffic warden – 11%

NOTES TO EDITOR
Illicitencounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 15 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 7729 6098
Twitter: @cheatsafer

Valencheat’s day (Feb 20th) is the new Valentine’s Day for cheats

The key findings

  • The Wednesday after Valentine’s day (this year Feb 20th) is the day of the year the most cheats see their lover
  • One third of them will engage in some sort of romantic activity
  • Over 65% of men send their mistress a Valentine’s day gift, often spending more than for their wife
  • Valencheat’s day is also the day with the most sign ups on IllicitEntounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people

It’s going to be a busy couple of weeks for adulterers- more cheats see their lover on the Wednesday after Valentine’s day than any other day of the year.

80% of cheats admit that the Valentine’s day with their spouse was disappointing. Either they find that their partner doesn’t put enough effort on the day, conjugal problems prevail and ruin the day, or they don’t feel the spark.

Results are from a 2019 survey conducted on 3,000 members of IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people.

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson at IllicitEncounters.com explains: “Frustrated by another predictable Valentine’s Day with their spouse, cheats plan a date with their lovers around a week later hoping that this will make up for the dissatisfaction, and often their expectation is exceeded by the excitement of the situation.”

Harry, 47, member of IllicitEncoutners.com, says: “Last year’s Valentine’s day with my wife was disappointing as always. Nothing went wrong, I care for her but the spark is simply gone. I just need to feel some excitement and romanticism now more than ever.”

Valencheat’s Days are often better planned then Valentine’s Day, as Jessica Leoni says: “Like any other relationship, people want to take care of their lover and show their appreciation for them. Doing so secretly only makes it more exciting.”

Besides spending time together, lovers also exchange gifts on this special day. Over 65% of men send their mistress a late Valentine’s day present, one third of the time spending more than they have spent for their wife.

Freya, 39, says: “Affairs are not just about sex- well at least not to me. Being courted is personally very important, it‘s one of the reasons why I am having an affair in the first place: feeling wanted again and being treated romantically.”

According to the recent survey, this is what cheats have planned for Valencheat’s Day:

  1. Encounter at one of their houses or a hotel (49%)
  2. Drinks and a walk (29%),
  3. Dinner in a fancy restaurant (14%)
  4. Other activity (9%)

Not only is Valencheat’s day the day when the most people see their lover, but it is also the day that the most married people seek an affair. For the past 4 years, Valencheat’s day has been the day with most people signing up to IllicitEntounters.com.

NOTES TO EDITOR

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 15 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7729 6098

Twitter: @cheatsafer

Brunettes, not blondes have more fun – model adopts seven different looks dating online to find which works best to find sex, a rich sugar daddy and the man of your dreams

The key findings

  • Fitness fan Hayley Leeanna changed her picture and profile details and dated for two weeks with each different look;
  • Men were keenest on sex when she used some pictures of herself when she was younger – showing off her 28FF surgically enhanced bust as a bubbly brunette with a prominent cleavage;
  • Rich, older men liked her most as a party-loving blonde after she changed her hair colour and held a glass of red wine in her profile pic;
  • Hayley, 36, found she met the most genuine men as a gym bunny and when she dressed as herself in a revealing party dress;
  • She got little response when she wore glasses or dressed as smartly as a businesswoman –  and she was completely blown out as a slacker without make-up;
  • Hayley conducted the experiment for IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people

Brunettes and not blondes really do have more fun, according to a model who adopted seven different looks to find love and sex while online dating.

What the numbers show

Fitness fan Hayley Leeanna, 36, had dated men online for years with varying success and could never work out which look potential partners liked most.

So she conducted an experiment – adopting seven different looks and dating for two weeks with different profile pictures and personality traits.

And she proved once and for all that you really do more fun as a brunette rather than a blonde when the number of approaches halved after she changed her profile picture to one where her hair had a golden colour.

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Hayley said: “I spent six months learning everything there is to know about how subtle changes to your profile picture and personality details can make a huge difference to the type of man you attract.

“If you want to have sex, it sounds obvious but you need to be make clear in your pictures that you are out for a good time. So accentuate the cleavage, smile and look like you are up for a laugh.

“You should also use some pictures of you when you were younger to hide your real age – everyone is doing that online.

“If you want someone rich, blonde is definitely the way to go – that look attracted lots of sugar daddies who wanted to wine and dine me before taking me to bed.

“The most genuine men came forward when I was most like the real me – either showing my age in a revealing dress while out on the town or as a keep fit fanatic in my gym gear.

“I also meet some lovely men when I wore glasses because they thought I was a bit of an intellectual.

“The two looks which really bombed were when I wore glasses and when I went completely without make-up as a total slob.

“I also tried the businesswoman look in a smart suit but all the guys I met were total bores.”

Hayley, of Peterborough, Cambs,  went on all the dates over six months through IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people. Here’s which looks worked best:

Best for sex – the busty brunette – 87 approaches

Hayley said: “This was far the best look for creating a buzz and getting lots of attention. Sadly a lot of men were only interested in one thing and made absolutely clear that they expected sex on the first date after we got chatting online.

“I tended to get attention from younger men who were keen to exchange sexy pictures. I did date three of the men who contacted me with this profile and we had a lot of fun but it didn’t go anywhere.

Best for a rich sugar daddy – bubbly, party-loving blonde – 43 approaches

Hayley said: “The key difference when I used a picture from a few years ago with me as a blonde was that the men who came on to me were older and richer.

“Obviously they were married because this was IllicitEncounters.com – they had made their money and were looking for a fun-loving bit on the side.

“They loved the fact that I was holding a wine glass and gave the impression I was a party girl.

“I dated two men who contacted me with this profile picture. One was lovely and we had a great weekend together in Marbella staying in a five star hotel.

“He was in his 50s and he was a bit old for me but a fantastic lover nevertheless.”

Best for companionship – the gym bunny – 25 approaches

Hayley said: “I am happiest when I am in the gym and I found a few kindred spirits when I used some work-out pictures of myself on my profile.

“I had men wanting to meet up at the gym rather than a bar or a restaurant which was a nice change. I met some great guys but I was conscious that I was not making enough of my feminine side.”

Best for love – Hayley as herself – 32 approaches

Hayley said: “I am naturally a fun-loving brunette who is proud of my figure and loves my surgically enhanced boobs. I use IllicitEncounters because I am fed up with dating skint pretty boys.

“I like enjoying the high life and sharing some intelligent conversations with older men. I found the men were a little more genuine when I went on as myself – they could see there was nothing contrived about my profile.

“I used full length pictures of myself rather than one that just focused on my bust and they showed my real age more clearly.

“I got fewer younger men coming on to me than I did with the cleavage pictures and more men who were interested in a proper relationship.”

Best for nice guys – Hayley wearing spectacles – 4 approaches

Hayley said: “If you are dating online, ditch the specs – that is my advice. I was worried I would not get any approaches at all but four men came on to me and they were all absolutely lovely.

“The spectacles created a whole new persona for me and that was reflected in the responses. The men were much more polite but sadly none of them had a lot of money.”

Best for boredom – Hayley in a smart business suit – 8 approaches

Hayley said: “It is not really me but I straightened my hair flat, wore a smart business suit and had the persona of a successful businesswoman.

“I thought it might get me a classier type of guy but it just attracted a bunch of bores. This definitely didn’t work.”

Best for a complete blow-out – Hayley as a slacker without make-up – no approaches

Hayley said: “If you are dating online, get out the slap – no one want to see you when you are not looking your best.

I thought men might like the fact that I didn’t care about my appearance but who wants to date a slob with spots?

You can really enhance your profile picture with the right make-up and hairstyle.,”

Hayley is now back dating on IllicitEncounters.com using genuine pictures of how she really looks.

She said: “It was a great experiment but I prefer being me. I won’t have as much as sex as I can do with some of the flirty pictures of me but I will meet a better class of men.”

IllicitEncounters.com spokesman Christian Grant said: “Hayley is typical of the women on the site who tend to be in their 30s and are looking for no-strings attached fun with men who have a good level of income.”

IllicitEncounters enjoys a 25% surge in membership in January and February as unhappy spouses vow to change their life in the New Year by meeting a new partner.

More than one million have registered with the site and popularity has shot up in the last five years because sky high house prices make it too expensive for couples to divorce and set up two new homes.

Instead they stay together unhappily and date secretly on the side.

NOTES TO EDITOR

About the research

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 15 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 7729 6098

Twitter: @cheatsafer

Beware of Red Tuesday – top day of the year to be dumped is tomorrow (Tues, Feb 12th)

The key findings

  • More couples split up in the week of Valentine’s than any other week of the year;
  • Peak day for dumping is 48 hours before the big day;
  • Most popular way to end a relationship is by text, followed by a phone call and personal chat;
  • Results are from a new survey of 2,000 people by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people

Beware of Red Tuesday (February 12) tomorrow – it is the top day of the year to be dumped, according to new research.

What the numbers show

More couples split up in the week of Valentine’s than any other week of the year.

And the peak day for dumping is 48 hours before the big day.

More than a third of people surveyed (37%) said they had broken with a lover in the week before Valentine’s.

The vast majority of people prefer to end a relationship without meeting their estranged partner face-to-face.

The most popular way to dump someone is by text, chosen by 31% of respondents, followed by a phone call (28%), in person (27%), over Facebook (8%), by Whatsapp (4%) and over Twitter (2%).

The results are from a new survey of 2,000 people by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people.

It found that while Red Tuesday was the most popular day for dumping, it was also one of the peak days to see an illicit lover ahead of Valentine’s.

Eight out of ten people (78%) having an affair with IllicitEncounters.com still choose to spend Valentine’s Day with their regular partner.

Only 16% – one in six – will leave their regular partner in the lurch and go out for a date with their lover on February 14.

The preferred date nights for people having affairs ahead of Valentine’s were the three days before – with February 13 the most likely for an illicit date.

Those having an affair spend an average of £90 on a gift for their lover, compared to £50 on the gift for their partner – 80% more for the mistress.

The reason there are so many break-ups in the most romantic week of the year is that February 14 focuses people’s minds on whether their relationship is really working.

It is easier to call it quits ahead of Valentine’s – saving a money on a gift and also not having to make false declarations of love.

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

IllicitEncounters.com spokesman Christian Grant said: “The period between Christmas and February is a popular time for people to spring clean their love lives as well as their homes.

“This period of reflection reaches its peak in the week before Valentine’s when there are more break-ups than at any other time of the year.

“For lots of people, it is easier to call time on a relationship rather than pretend everything is fine and tell lots of white lies.

“Dumping someone electronically is rising in popular with three-quarters of people breaking up with someone over the phone rather than in person.

“Everyone will have seen unhappy couples pretending that they enjoying each other’s company on dinner dates on Valentine’s Day.

“What’s more interesting is looking at the body language of couples out on February 11, 12 or 13 – they are likely to be having a lot more fun while having an affair, celebrating Valentine’s together a few days early before returning to their partners.”

More than one million people have registered with IllicitEncounters.com since the site was started more than ten years ago.

It is enjoying a bumper start to 2019 with registrations up 25% in the first six weeks, as increasing numbers of unhappy spouses act on their New Year’s Resolution to shake up their relationship by starting an affair.

NOTES TO EDITOR

About the research

IllicitEncounters.com is the UK’s leading dating website for married people and the leading authority on infidelity. With over 1.2 million genuine UK users since 2004, you’re sure to find your perfect match.

Established in 2004, we have been providing a meeting place for like-minded married and attached people for nearly 14 years. Our members have one thing in common – they are all looking for a little romance outside their current relationship. Whether that’s the occasional bit of flirtatious chat, a regular coffee date, or a full-blown affair, that’s up to them.

We’re always more than happy to talk about IllicitEncounters.com – please contact Christian Grant through the details below – but we’re not willing to speak publicly about SaraHartley.net at this moment in time.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 7729 6098
Twitter: @cheatsafer