Most infidelities committed during honeymoon phase, says survey by extramarital dating app Gleeden

Mar 28, 2023, 16:23 IST

BCCL

Extramarital dating app Gleeden was launched in India in 2017 and currently has 2 million users in the country.
As per its survey of over 1,500 married Indians, 37% of respondents think it is possible to cheat on someone while still being in love with them.
The infidelity rate is almost the same between men and women (59% vs 53%); and in both big metropolises and smaller towns (58% vs 56%).

Infidelity, romance, and everything else in between, are often subjects of movies, web series, and even literature. But what do these terms mean to people in real life, especially in India? Extramarital dating app Gleeden’s recent survey sheds light on how Indians perceive infidelity in today’s day and age.

As per its study, 37% of Indians think it is possible to cheat on someone while still being in love with them, while 55% of respondents fancy being intimate with someone other than their partners.

Gleeden, which launched in India in 2017 and has over 2 million users in the country, conducted a survey with 1,503 married Indians, both men and women, aged between 25 and 50 and living in tier-1 and tier-2 cities to determine the society’s general perception of infidelity, personal experience of infidelity, the effect of the pandemic on people's mindset towards infidelity, and new trends in relationships.

Sybil Shiddell, country manager, India shared, "It’s truly fascinating to witness the evolving mindset of Indian society when it comes to relationships and marriage. Our latest survey shows that people are increasingly challenging traditional socio-cultural norms and embracing a more open and liberal approach.”

Indians are more adventurous than the world thinks

According to Gleeden, “Indians are more adventurous than the world thinks”.

“The top 3 relationship trends Indians are keen to explore if given a chance are open couples, having a sugar baby/daddy, and indulging in some form of BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadochism and Masochism),” shared Gleeden.

As per its study, more than six out of ten people have explored a non-traditional kind of relationship. Threesomes are the least desired relationship type, but 22% of respondents adopted the open couple concept and are now in a non-monogamous relationship.

Additionally, though a majority of respondents (82%) feel it is possible to stay faithful to the same person for their entire life, a fair share (44%) felt it is possible to be in love with two different people at the same time.

Most infidelities committed during ‘honeymoon phase’

Among respondents who’ve been unfaithful to their partners, the percentage is almost the same for men (59%) and women (53%). Surprisingly, most of the infidelities are committed during the first year, despite that being known as the honeymoon phase, states Gleeden. Moreover, for Indians, fantasizing about somebody else is also considered an act of infidelity.

As per Gleeden, most people cheat with people from their circles of friends. In real life, private events and parties are the most common occasions for committing infidelity. But 44% have cheated with somebody they met online i.e. on social media or through dating apps.

Gleeden’s survey also revealed that the infidelity rate is almost the same in both big metropolises and smaller towns (58% vs 56%). This also explains the rise in Gleeden’s subscribers from tier-2 cities such as Bhopal, Gurugram, Vadodara, Navi Mumbai, Kochi, Thane, Dehradun, Patna, Nashik, and Guwahati.

According to Gleeden, the pandemic changed Indians’ view towards infidelity, with almost a quarter of Indians no longer against the idea.

“Over 50% of respondents stated lockdown restrictions played a vital role in changing (their) mindset towards infidelity. In fact, four people out of ten find themselves fancying being with someone that wasn't their partner,” revealed Gleeden.

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