Traditionally, people who engaged in extramarital affairs often did so with coworkers. The reasoning was simple: These were the people that they saw most of the time when their family wasn’t around. That made these relationships the most natural.
In 2020, though, things have shifted. For years now, researchers have been pointing to the ways that the internet has changed affairs. Many incidents of infidelity now start online.
The exact circumstances are different for everyone. Some people connect with friends on social media. Others seek out encounters with interested strangers. Still others aren’t seeking affairs at all, but they simply spend a lot of their free time online, and these online contacts become the people they socialize with.
There is a suggestion that the internet makes it easier to have an affair. You can communicate with someone easily and without anyone else knowing you’re doing it. You also have a lot more avenues for communication. Thirty years ago, if you didn’t have someone’s phone number, that was that. Today, you may find them through mutual friends on social media and send them a message.
The internet has also given the rise to virtual affairs. These may not be physical, although there can be a sexual component. Either way, they still demonstrate “emotional cheating.” For some people, the emotional side of it is where they really feel betrayed and know they have to end the marriage anyway.
If your spouse did have an affair that started online, you may already know that you can’t repair this marriage. You just want to get divorced and put it behind you. Make sure that you know what steps you should take toward this goal.