8% of Brits have ‘sexted’ a person (not their partner) in the last year
Recent media coverage around Vernon Kay’s alleged sexting exploits with model, Rhian Sugden, have resurfaced after it appears he began messaging her again. This has sparked the debate, what constitutes cheating?
New research shows that the lines of adultery are becoming increasingly blurred with just over 1 in 10 thinking sexting was ‘just a bit of fun’, as more and more communication opportunities are popping up every day.
Naughty photos were considered by the majority to be less acceptable than flirty texts with 62 per cent saying that they would feel very guilty about sending a naked or nearly naked picture.
But over a third of those who admit to sexting someone other than their partner, said it led on to more compromising suggestions like meeting up, having sex and spending time together behind their partners backs
Slater and Gordon commissioned the study after finding that clients were increasingly trying to cite adultery in divorce proceedings even though the law wouldn’t allow for it. The grounds for divorce citing adultery dictates that extra-marital sex
has to have taken place with a person of the opposite sex during the course of the marriage. Adultery is responsible for just under 40% of divorces in the UK.
Men and women find it difficult to pin down what does and doesn’t constitute cheating with a massive difference between genders and within people of different age groups.
• 24% of 16-24 year olds think it’s absolutely above board
• 57% of people over the age of 35 think having dinner with someone for whom you have feelings for is crossing the line
• 45 per cent of people in between 35 and 44 think that regularly texting someone you have an emotional connection with is cheating
Men and women agreed on very few areas – including whether they would consider it adultery and leave their partner if they have sex with someone else, sext or kiss someone else.
It would seem that all physical and cyber relations show that moral guidelines are as individual as fingerprints and it is difficult to be prescriptive in drawing a line.
• 26% of men think meeting up with an ex is not a problem, but 35 per cent of women disagree.
• 62% of men would consider leaving their partner if they found out that they had sent naughty pictures to another person.
• 9 in 10 women would probably not forgive a partner who was active on dating websites and apps, but 8% of them admitted to still have profiles on dating sites themselves.
So who is right and who is wrong? Watch our video to help with the legal view…
