Are there any statistics about what percentage of women have extramarital affairs over the course of their lives? And also men?

I’d guess more men. Women tend to be more nurturing and faithful, at least in my experience. Men are dogs, let’s face it.

I wager it’s about equal. Lots of terrible people out there.

To guess I’d say more men, if you count casual sex as an extramarital affair. I would guess that women would tend to stray for emotional reasons, which are much more complicated than just sex, and probably less likely to happen as frequently.

It’s roughly equal with some studies showing men and others that actually show women as the more prolific cheaters.

Well, my husband started an affair with three women at different times in the last few years of our marriage. I couldn’t bring myself to even go on a date until a year after the divorce.
I realize that’s anecdotal though.

Fairly equal these days with women in the workforce and having more contact with males than they had historically. That’s where the old jokes about a kid who didn’t look like his father being the kid of the milkman or the postman. About the only two men a housewife had daily contact with. I think the reasons for cheating vary for everyone, everything from needing a self esteem boost, attention, a forbidden thrill of just plain new sex.

I am proud to say I have never cheated in my relationships as a women.

I would guess men more. I also wouldn’t necessarily trust stats unless I saw exactly how the questionnaire was worded. Plenty of people think kissing isn’t cheating, or if nothing physical happened it isn’t cheating, or even a one night stand isn’t an “affair.”

@JLeslie i also wouldn’t trust the data because it is self-reporting and not verifiable. Many may be inclined to lie.

Well, my blow up doll ran off with an inner tube. Don’t tell me that ain’t cheating. But she was always full of hot air, anyways.

Yeah, how would they even come UP with the statistics, anyway?

After the “Ashley Madison” hacking story broke, NPR did some reporting. A poll they cited had the numbers pretty even:

21% of men
19% of women
7% of both sexes “decline to answer”

So statistically, given margins for error, it is a dead heat.

Here is an interesting article. It applies to our illustrious president.

I was told 65% of men cheat. Don’t know about women.