The Top 10 Infidelity News Stories of 2010

At the end every year, I choose the 10 top infidelity news stories of the year.

This is my 7th annual top 10 list, and it’s usually fairly easy since, for professional purposes, I track infidelity news stories all year long.

As an infidelity expert, I’m frequently called on by the media to comment on celebrity infidelity and infidelity-related breaking news.

This year, however, there were so many infidelity stories in the news that it was difficult to narrow the choices down to 10.
Even celebrity mistresses got in on the act, commanding almost as much media coverage as the famous men they cheated with.

I’ve officially dubbed 2010 “The Year of the Celebrity Mistress.”

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Like to Sleep Around? Blame Your Genes

Whether your roommate is Samantha Sleeps-Around or Paul the Prude, cut him or her some slack: People's predilections for promiscuity lie partially in their DNA, according to a new study.

A particular version of a dopamine receptor gene called DRD4 is linked to people's tendency toward both infidelity and uncommitted one-night stands, the researchers reported Nov. 30 in the online open-access journal PloS One.

The same gene has already been linked to alcoholism and gambling addiction, as well as less destructive thrills like a love of horror films. One study linked the gene to an openness to new social situations, which in turn correlated with political liberalism.

In the new study, researchers gathered a detailed history of sexual behavior and relationships from 181 young adults. They also collected DNA samples from the volunteers' cheeks and analyzed the samples for the presence of the thrill-seeking version of DRD4.

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Tiger Woods Still to Hurdle More Challenge Due to Infidelity

As divulged by RadarOnline.com, Tiger Woods still has issues to tackle because of his infidelity to partner Elin Nordegren.

The hooker who has claimed that she was the 15^th mistress of Woods, Devon James alleges that she has a sex tape which runs for 62 minutes with the world’s highest paid athlete. With her husband, Nick James, she has revealed that she has already sold it in a deal. As expected, she foresees to gain millions.

RadarOnline.com further confirms that the husband was quoted saying they are going to sell the said video through the internet and they will benefit from half of what is earned. Additionally, merchandiser husband says that the website will kick off soon starting off with a teaser. There are even promotional strategies being used to entice buyers.

No one has confirmed the existence of the Tiger Woods sex tape, even Sandra Brinling, the mother of Devon.

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Amid Downturn, Divorce and Infidelity Decrease

Sure, divorcing in tough economic times might involve the use of a Taser, but according to fresh data released on Friday from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the divorce rate is at its lowest point since the early 1970s. And infidelity has continued to decline.

The divorce rate per 1,000 married women sank to 16.4 in 2009 from 16.9 the year before and a far cry from 22.6 in 1980, according to an analysis of the data from the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.

“It runs counter to this image people have of Tiger Woods and divorce,” Prof. Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project, says. “They get a sense from the media that divorce is prevalent but the reality is we’re not experiencing divorce that way.”

The divorce rate has long been a sticky statistic, with some figures functioning as projections, or using experiences from one generation to draw conclusions about the unions of others. Most statisticians agree that overall divorce rate has been on the decline since the so-called “divorce revolution” of the 1970s.

The CDC data more closely points to what actually happened with marriages, Prof. Wilcox says. As the downturn wears on, the divorce rate decreased more from 2008 to 2009 than from 2007 to 2008.

The downward trend in the divorce rate from 17.3 in 2005 to last year’s 16.4 speaks to the historical trend of the number of divorces in a downturn decreasing, even in an era when many couples waiting longer to get married and have kids. Legal fees, a dreary real-estate market and other economic malaise might be causing some couples to hold off from divorcing. Others may be banding together in tough times.

Further, infidelity has fallen modestly, especially among married men, Prof. Wilcox says. Infidelity overall hasn’t increased over the last 20 years, according to his research.

Among adults who were ever married in the 2000s, 21% of men and 14% of women reported that they had ever had sex with someone other than their spouse while they were married, according to the Project’s analysis of General Social Survey data. In the 1990s, 22% of ever-married men and 14% of ever-married women said they’d had an affair.


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Studies Reveal Rate Of Infidelity Growing

Infidelity…it’s a disease for which there seems to be neither cause nor remedy. And with the number of extramarital affairs growing at an alarming rate, Michigan investigative services such as Lakeside Investigations often work around the clock to help alleviate emotional pain for the victimized spouse.

Statistics vary for the rate of infidelity that is taking place due to the amount of secrecy involved. But one thing that’s certain is more and more people are admitting to adulterous affairs than in the past.

According to one study, 22 percent of married men and 14 percent of married women admitted to straying during their marriage. Other studies show much higher percentages in recent years, even up to 55 percent or greater for men.

Studies also show that 70 percent of women and 54 percent of men did not know that the extramarital affair was taking place. This is why Chris Charow of Lakeside Investigations in St. Clair Shores, Michigan believes his services are needful in today’s society.

“With statistics showing more occurrences of infidelity than ever and the number of online affairs growing as well, a suspecting husband or wife should have a trustworthy private investigator to help verify their suspicions or alleviate their fears. It’s a much safer option than trying to investigate, on their own,” says Charow, who is the Lead Investigator and Director of Operations for Lakeside Investigations.

Is adultery a symptom of our society? Unfortunately, many TV shows portray infidelity as having no consequences. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Infidelity hurts real people and destroys the lives of all involved, including children and other family members.

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Cheating Via Text Message: The Perils of 'Chexting'

You might like texting, and frown upon sexting. Now comes "chexting" -- and it can lead to big trouble. Just ask Tiger Woods and Jesse James.

Golf superstar Woods and TV celebrity James, who is married to Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock, have seen their lives unravel amid revelations of cheating on their spouses, in part by arranging liaisons via text messages.

Their affairs have spawned a new word in pop culture, chexting, and raised the question of whether it really is cheating on a spouse. The experts say, you bet it is.

"It's lipstick on the cellular -- digital proof that becomes evidence you've been unfaithful," says Peter Dedman of Predicto Mobile, the largest paid mobile community in America.

In today's digital age, where cell phones come equipped with their own typing keyboards separate from the number pads, texting has become more popular than e-mailing for some, and sending a text from a small phone can be done almost anywhere.

It is instant gratification and contact, but for those who have a hard time staying faithful, texting has become medium to facilitate their cheating.

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When Women Seek Revenge On A Cheater, His Car's A Likely Target: Poll

Three in every five people would seek revenge if they found out their husband or wife was cheating on them, and 10% of the women who get angry would target their guy’s car, according to a poll of 3,000 people that was reported by the Independent.

The British poll, by the Autoglass company, found that women are more likely than men to seek revenge. Of those who decide to get even, 22- to 25-year-olds are the most likely to smash a car windshield. Those in the 19- to 21-year-old age group said they would damage the paintwork, while 31- to 35-year-olds were more inclined to sell the car to make a little profit for themselves.

After the age of 50, says the poll, spouses who had been cheated on were more likely to give the cheater the silent treatment and simultaneously spend as much money as possible.

"Our research clearly shows that in the UK most people won’t turn the other cheek when it comes to infidelity," Autoglass managing director Nigel Doggett said, according to the Independent. "And as the car seems to be one of the prime targets for getting even, this poll should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of straying."

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Love In The Public Eye!

When reports surfaced last fortnight of Carla Bruni and Nicolas Sarkozy, both having affairs — she with singer Benjamin Biolay; he with his stylish ecology minister, Chantal Jouanno, few found it amusing. After all, if one couldn’t decipher reasons that brought the two together (other than perhaps a shared aversion for monogamy), there needn’t have been reasons to make them drift apart. However, the conscious indiscretion that the Sarkozy- Bruni romance epitomises makes it the most bohemian one ever that involved a politician of his stature.

Consider this: Barely 10 months ago the couple flirted brazenly during a video interview, making it the first time that a French president and his first lady were filmed sharing such private moments in the Elysee Palace. In the interview, the 41-year-old Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy continually stroked her 54-year-old husband’s hand and even patted his bottom.

The diminutive president, in turn, tried to look as much a President as he could, as he perched on the edge of an armchair, with his feet swinging above the ground.

After the intimate indulgence, the wife whispered “Bon courage, chou chou”, which means “Be brave, my little darling”.

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Phoenix Rejects $10M Offer From Infidelity Web Site

Phoenix leaders may be desperate for cash to solve their budget crunch. But they weren't seduced by a multi-million-dollar offer from a Web site encouraging husbands and wives to cheat on their spouses.

Infidelity Web site AshleyMadison.com said it would give the cash-strapped city $10 million if it renamed Sky Harbor International Airport the Ashley Madison International Airport over a five-year period.

Deputy City Manager David Krietor told the Toronto-based company in an e-mail thanks but no thanks, saying "For a variety of reasons we will need to decline your generous offer."

"We have not solicited any sponsorships to rename America's Friendliest Airport," added airport spokeswoman Deborah Ostreicher. "The community is very happy with the current name and it is not something that is on the table."

A publicist for the Ashley Madison Agency, whose motto is 'Life is Short, Have an Affair," said she understands why the city turned down the offer but added that a naming-rights deal could prevent employee layoffs.

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The Law Should Punish Cheating Spouses and Their Lovers

Finally, there is a way for scorned spouses to make the person who broke up their marriage pay.

Literally.

Laws in seven states, including Utah, North Carolina, South Dakota, Hawaii, Mississippi, Illinois and New Mexico, now allow spouses of adulterous mates to sue their partner's lover, according to CNN.com.

These "alienation of affection" lawsuits might be the best way for spurned spouses to keep their wandering partners in check. If their adulterous mates cannot find lovers, they cannot cheat. These lovers are as responsible for the adultery as their married partners and should face the consequences for violating a legally binding agreement.

However, a person who was unaware that his or her new lover was married should not pay for his or her bad judgment.

Of course, there are issues with these lawsuits. There's the possibility that married couples could dupe a wealthy person into sleeping with either of them in order to collect damages. Fortunately, the legal system is designed to prevent these dishonest people from collecting damages they are not owed.

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Irreconcilable wall posts? Nearly 1 in 5 divorce cases cite Facebook, lawyers say

Facebook is supposed to bring people together - but may be tearing some apart.

Divorce lawyers say the social networking site is tempting users to cheat on their spouses, reports The UK's Telegraph, and flirty messages and wall posts are increasingly being cited as evidence of extramarital activity.

One law firm says that nearly one in five divorce cases they’re working on cited Facebook, a site that allows people to connect with past friends and make new ones.

“I had heard from my staff that there were a lot of people saying they had found out things about their partners on Facebook and I decided to see how prevalent it was,” Mark Keenan, Managing Director of Divorce-Online tells the Telegraph. “I was really surprised to see 20 per cent of all the petitions containing references to Facebook

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Facebook: The truth is out there

Looking for a way out of her broken marriage, one woman turned to popular social networking site Facebook for evidence of her husband’s infidelity.

In the end, pictures and status updates posted by her husband’s pregnant girlfriend were proof enough for the court that the woman, who is in her late 20s, should not have to wait the standard three years for the divorce to be finalized.

Her lawyer Amolat Singh said: “She was a frequent Facebook user and was resourceful after stumbling on the photos.”

He is among a growing number of lawyers and private investigators here who say that with more people living their lives out loud online, Facebook has become a useful tool in legal battles.

The use of the social networking site has proven especially prevalent in evidence gathering for cases concerning extra-marital affairs or divorce.

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Wife catches lawsuit instead of cheater

To catch a cheating partner with help from private investigators, be careful to follow the law or the police will go after you instead of the cheater.

A woman and her accomplices were arrested for violating the law for privacy protection by hiring private detectors to unlawfully install bugs on her spouse's vehicle and scooter. After the spouse uncovered the hidden bugs, the wife and the two investigators were arrested after they confessed to the police.

From police report, Lin Jing-yi, 34, and her spouse surnamed Guo, 40, usually drive separately to Hsinchu Science Park Administration, where they both work. The detective work began in April this year, when the offender noticed that her spouse had been arriving home late for several nights, with his cell phone turned off. She then hired two private detectors in an attempt to uncover a possible affair.

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Hiring A Private Investigator Is The Key To Catching A Cheating Spouse

According to Christopher Paoletti, the Founder and President of Infidelity Investigations (www.infidelitypolice.com), a full service private investigation agency located in Bridgeport, Connecticut specializing in infidelity cases, individuals that may be unaware of a cheating spouse are putting themselves at risk.

“Surveys show that infidelity is more rampant than most people think,” says Paoletti whose investigations have been the subject of countless divorce proceedings in Connecticut and throughout the United States. “Although many people will ultimately catch a cheating spouse, there are many who never find the truth that they deserve.”

Paoletti says that a gut feeling, usually based on changes in the behavior of the cheating spouse, is usually enough of a reason to consider hiring a private investigator and he says that while victims deserve the truth about a cheating spouse, the reason for hiring a private investigation firm is to protect oneself.

“First and foremost, gaining proof of a cheating spouse will protect the victim legally because, in some states, adultery can be grounds for divorce,” says Paoletti. “Secondly, knowing the truth can protect the victim emotionally because suspicion alone can do great damage. By revealing the truth once and for all, the victim can finally learn to handle the situation and move forward.”

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Senator who called on President Clinton to resign after affair, admits affair himself.

You remember John Ensign, right? He's the Republican U.S. Senator from Nevada who recently announced that he cheated on his wife with an aide. But he's not resigning - despite the fact that he called on President Clinton to resign for his marital infidelity. Why the different standard?

Nevada U.S. Sen. John Ensign told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his affair with a friend's wife was different from former President Bill Clinton's affair in the White House because Clinton committed a felony when he lied about it to a grand jury.

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Elizabeth Edwards Expects DNA Test for Hubby's Alleged Love Child

The wife of philandering former Sen. John Edwards said she expects a paternity test will take place soon to determine the father of the 18-month-old child of her hubby's former mistress.

In an interview on CNN's "Larry King Live," Elizabeth Edwards confronted rumors that her cheating husband was set to claim paternity of little Frances, his alleged love child with ex-mistress Rielle Hunter.

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Vengeful Wife Wants Cheating Husband Out of Prison

A woman who glued her philandering husband's penis to his stomach (with the assistance of the husband's mistress) has asked that her husband be released from prison. Tracy M. Hood-Davis requested that her husband, Donessa T. Davis Sr., be released so he could help support Hood-Davis's two children.

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Divorce Rates After Infidelity Decrease

The last year saw its share of lawmakers facing the cameras to admit their affairs. Notably missing from their stories — any word, so far, that those liaisons would end their marriages.

Photographic proof that state Sen. Paul Stanley's intern was naked in his Nashville apartment forced his resignation effective this week. Former presidential candidate John Edwards and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford also admitted to indiscretions after their fidelity was called into question.

In each case, either the man or his wife said they planned to work on saving their marriages. Now, data on divorce and infidelity suggest that something similar is happening between lesser-known couples more often than people suspect.

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10 Contradictory Signs of Infidelity

There are many signs of infidelity. Sometimes cheaters may appear to display contradictory signs of infidelity. But it’s important to remember that no two cheaters are alike. The telltale signs one cheating husband displays may be just the opposite of the signs displayed by another husband who is having an extramarital affair.

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Aussie PIs Hope to Keep No-Fault Divorce Precendent

Picture this: a husband so desperate to escape an unhappy marriage that he commits fraud to "expose" himself in an act of infidelity. He hires a prostitute to act as his lover and a private investigator to burst into a motel room and photograph them in flagrante delicto.

Australia's private investigators can recall the boom days of a seedy, sordid business, when a spouse would go to such extremes to get a divorce. Until the arrival of no-fault divorce laws in 1975, a marriage could not be dissolved unless one spouse was found, in effect, to be the guilty party. Commonly it was for adultery, more often for desertion. Otherwise cruelty, drunkenness, imprisonment or insanity might be grounds for divorce.

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