| According to the 1992 Life and Social Science | | | | communicative human beings. This is the primary |
| Survey, UK, it is harder to point out the exact | | | | reason why more than 89% of TV shows |
| reasons why women engage in infidelity. Women | | | | including romance novels are targeted towards |
| often have affairs for fun, revenge or | | | | women. |
| excitement. | | | | Public disclosure of public figures having affairs is |
| What is Infidelity? | | | | headline news because women are fascinated and |
| | | | titillated by hearing of others' affairs. They |
| Infidelity cannot be defined precisely. Even a | | | | perceive that a good and secure life can be |
| stolen kiss, a lap dance and a sexual encounter fall | | | | cultivated by getting sexually involved with a man. |
| in the range of infidelity. Psychologists state that | | | | It does not matter if they are married with |
| the intention of such behaviour defines its course. | | | | familial responsibilities. Media teaches and propels |
| The 1992 survey describes infidelity as the secret | | | | women to ignore all obligations in the individual |
| violation of monogamy and commitment to a | | | | pleasure pursuit. |
| single person. | | | | Lack of proper sex education including the |
| This is an inclusive definition. Precisely, infidelity can | | | | existence of sexual taboos makes it difficult for |
| be described as an affair conducted for various | | | | partners to talk honestly about sex. Secrecy in |
| reasons by a member of the opposite sex for | | | | sexual matters makes women usually curious. |
| romantic and sexual love or lust. Usually, it has | | | | Affairs are simply a way to discover their own |
| been found that 50% of women engage in | | | | sexuality and boost their importance. |
| infidelity. | | | | The primary reasons for engaging in infidelity are: |
| Reasons: Women do not see this kind of | | | | Improving and Enhancing Self-esteem Levels: |
| behaviour as solely stemming from their | | | | Women often get bored after years in a |
| personalities. For them, infidelity is a culmination of | | | | monogamous relationship. They feel that they are |
| various external forces. They perceive infidelity as | | | | being taken for granted. They don't feel |
| fun, casual, getting acquainted or a chance to | | | | appreciated. They often seek third party male |
| know someone. Women often perceive infidelity | | | | company outside the marriage merely to seek |
| as a chance to meet, flirt, converse, and engage | | | | compliments about themselves. It boosts their |
| in intimate behaviour with a third party outside the | | | | importance and self-esteem. The liaison starts out |
| marriage. Usually three forces culminate forcing or | | | | as fun and becomes intimate with time. |
| pushing the individual towards such behaviour: | | | | New and Varied Sexual and Emotional Experience: |
| Forces within the Individual that Pull Them toward | | | | The female spouse often has to forgo her own |
| Affairs: | | | | emotional and sexual fulfilment within the confines |
| | | | of marriage. She has to make compromises and |
| · Attraction: sex, companionship, admiration, | | | | adjust. She fulfils her emotional and sexual wants |
| power | | | | and needs by seeking affairs outside the marriage. |
| · Novelty | | | | She finally gets a chance to freely express herself |
| · Excitement, risk, or challenge | | | | sexually and emotionally. She does not have to |
| · Curiosity | | | | make compromises anymore. |
| · Enhanced self-image | | | | Emotional Connection and Loneliness: Usually, the |
| · Falling in love | | | | woman gets so caught up in marital and family |
| Forces within the Individual that Push Them | | | | affairs that she has no time to emotionally |
| toward Affairs: | | | | connect and talk with her partner. Her life is |
| | | | repetitive and structured. She becomes lonely and |
| · Desire to escape or find relief from a | | | | yearns for emotional closeness and intimacy. |
| painful relationship | | | | Affairs usually start as friendships where the |
| · Boredom | | | | woman is able to converse freely with another |
| · Desire to fill gaps in an existing relationship | | | | man. She is able to achieve the emotional intimacy |
| · Desire to punish one's partner | | | | and closeness lacking in the marriage. |
| · Need to prove one's attractiveness or | | | | Women are not "swept off their feet" when they |
| worth | | | | become involved in an affair. They are rational |
| · Desire for attention | | | | and thoughtful. Women consider romance to be |
| Societal Factors: Media plays a huge influence in | | | | important in both marriage and affairs. More than |
| shaping human desires and wants. A greatest | | | | 80% of women argue that they consider their |
| impact has been the incidence of infidelity in | | | | lover as a friend. Thus, communication forms an |
| women. Media has a direct connection to the high | | | | important feature of all their affairs. |
| rate of infidelity amongst women. Women are | | | | Infidelity is a means of self-discovery for them. |
| often influenced by soap operas, magazines and | | | | Women observe and discover their untapped |
| TV shows where extramarital affairs are | | | | potential and behaviour including emotional |
| galmourised. Women are highly social and | | | | capacity. |