Infidelity is often an issue depicted in the media as a moral dilemma that characters have to face (think about shows like Nurse Jackie (2009) where the namesake character has an extramarital affair with a colleague at her hospital), showing that it can take a toll on a relationship or a marriage.

Just like how it is portrayed in the media, infidelity is a major problem for many marriages today. It is actually one of the most common reasons that divorces go through with 18% of divorces reportedly caused by being unfaithful, according to Unified Lawyers.

However, there’s a concern that the media is normalizing the idea of infidelity and that social media is making cheating a lot easier to do. This report will examine many infidelity statistics in-depth, along with the male and female cheating statistics around the world. These infidelity statistics will help us analyze the impacts of infidelity, compare countries by how unfaithful they can be, and what causes may be driving the infidelity rates upward.

Here are the top infidelity statistics around the world:

10% of Canadians admitted to cheating on their spouses.

According to a survey from Ashley Madison (a website for people pursuing extramarital affairs), 10% of Canadians admitted to cheating on their spouses and 22% said that they were seriously considering cheating on their spouse. The report also highlighted some gender divides with 13% of men admitting to cheating compared to 8% of women.

Despite the rise of social media and the fact that adultery has never been more easily accessible, these infidelity statistics indicate there is still a notable minority of reported Canadians that have admitted to being unloyal.

Infidelity was more common among older Americans aged 50-70.

The Institute for Family Studies reported that infidelity was more common amongst older Americans in the 50-70 age range. 26% of men in between 70 and 79 have admitted to cheating on their spouses and 16% of women in the 60 to 69 range committed adultery, representing the peak percentage and age range of infidelity rates.

Similar to the Ashley Madison survey, the infidelity statistics in General Social Survey (GSS) reported in this study found that 20% of men surveyed have cheated on their spouses while for women, that number was 13%. These infidelity statistics show that men have more of a tendency towards infidelity than women dates back to the 1990’s.

Many European countries have an infidelity range between 30%-50%.

Infidelity is not specific to North America, it is actually a very prominent problem across European countries. While Canada has an infidelity rate of about 10% and the United States holds a rate of about 13% to 20%, many European countries have an infidelity range between 30% and 50%, according to a report by TheRichest after data from online dating websites and Durex Condoms after they surveyed customers and users.

Thailand reported the highest infidelity rate with 56%. A complete list of the top ten countries by infidelity statistics is available below:

Over the past 20 years, the rate of infidelity among women increased by 40%.

The General Social Survey (GSS) has been collecting data on infidelity rates for decades, representing the most well-rounded data and overview of the issue. Their data has found that between the 1990s and 2010s, the rate of infidelity among women has increased by 40% (though they still only cheat 70% as much as their male counterparts).

For men, the infidelity statistics have largely remained steady, suggesting that the attitude towards infidelity has remained largely the same while women were more tempted to pursue extramarital affairs. People pointed to the rise of internet culture and the direct access to other people as a reason that affairs are more commonplace now.

But why would this disproportionately affect women when this access extends to men as well? For that, people speculate that it may be due to the higher incomes that women are earning as they enter higher positions in the workforce, meaning that the economic consequences of a divorce from their spouse is much less severe.

The infidelity statistics for cheating men still outpaces cheating women.

Infidelity is an issue for marriages and families, being largely fueled by the rise of social media and the normalization of cheating. That said, Canada and the United States has a decent track record for infidelity rates when compared to European countries, which sported higher rates for various reasons, the largest one being a cultural departure from traditional conservative views on relationships (such as Finland, which has the concept of “parallel relationships” where it is more acceptable to hold multiple relationships at once).

The infidelity statistics for women has climbed about 40% over the past 20 years, though the rate of cheating men still outpaces them. When people cheat on their spouse, they run the risk of ruining the relationship and dismantling the family, which can have further consequences when children are involved. The motivations vary from person to person and it is possible that cheating spouses are not influenced by social media at all, though it is also very possible that increased accessibility to extramarital relationships can lead to increased infidelity rates.

The most common reason for infidelity is sexual dissatisfaction.

When a person cheats on their partner, they often do not immediately think of all of the impacts that their actions will have. Infidelity severely erodes trust in a relationship and while some couples can successfully make amends through counseling, it is often the cause for divorce. When there are children involved, it can teach them that commitments can be undermined as well as bring other psychological strains with all of the challenges that a divided family can bring.

For all of the grief that an extramarital affair would cause, people still cheat on their loved ones. Psychology Today explains that the most common reason that people pursue affairs is because they are sexually dissatisfied in their primary relationships. Other reasons include a desire for new sexual encounters, a lack of emotional satisfaction, wanting validation from other people and people falling out of love with their partners.

With the rise of social media and online culture, cheating on your spouse is an easier venture with smartphone apps like Tinder that can connect you with a potential adulterer immediately. As well, infidelity is often reported or depicted (and sometimes even glorified and normalized) in the media, keeping the concept on the forefront of Western culture.