Why Are Men Less Tolerant Of Cheating When They Do It More?

While not all stereotypes are true, data has proven that the idea that men are more likely to cheat on their partners than women is actually a cold hard fact. Infidelity is disrespectful and soul-destroying regardless of who’s doing it, but in a particularly infuriating turn of events, a new study has revealed that while they’re more likely to step out on their relationships in the first place, men are also way less tolerant of cheating than women. WTF?

Hall Brown Family Law in the UK recently conducted research into behavioral dynamics within relationships and they came to some interesting conclusions, discovering that a third of marriages end when at least one partner has “run out of patience” and that men tend to reach that point a lot more quickly, particularly when cheating is involved.

As attorney Ellen Walker explained, “We are surprised time and again by the ability of some men and women to almost turn a blind eye to their partner’s misbehavior. However, the cases which we deal with illustrate how many people in such a situation find their patience ultimately exhausted, usually when the misconduct becomes too difficult for themselves and others to ignore.”

And surprise! It’s men that tend to be unable to forgive and forget—data from the Office of National Statistics found that divorce petitions by women on the grounds of cheating had decreased a whopping 43% since 1996, while petitions from men for the same offense increased by about 33%.

While there are a number of reasons why this could be the case—women are perhaps more concerned on the effects of splitting any children they share with a partner up—one thing is clear: guys need to practice what they preach. If you can’t tolerate cheating, don’t cheat. In fact, if you can’t handle being in a relationship without looking elsewhere, whether you’re a man or a woman, then maybe stay single for a while and save everyone a lot of unnecessary drama and pain.

Bolde has been a source of dating and relationship advice for single women around the world since 2014. We combine scientific data, experiential wisdom, and personal anecdotes to provide help and encouragement to those frustrated by the journey to find love. Follow us on Instagram @bolde_media or on Facebook @BoldeMedia
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