This archive report was first published on 14 September 2019.
Infidelity is a painful reality that can shatter the grand ambitions of romantic love. However, it also holds the key to liberation and empowerment.
According to a 2011 study published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 23% of men and 19% of women had extramarital affairs. The ease of technology has made it increasingly simple for people to step out of their relationships.
One moment you're scrolling through your Facebook timeline, and an ex-boyfriend sends you a friend request. You accept it, and the next day, you're playing catch-up and organizing a date as your partner sits right next to you.
Do one-night stands count? Should you excuse your partner because it happened once? Can you trust them again? There seems to be no single answer to that.
People label cheating differently and attach different meanings to it. As such, some relationships do survive after one partner has cheated, while others signal the end.
When Jay-Z cheated on Beyoncé, she stayed and even released an album, Lemonade, talking about it. Jay-Z followed it up with an Apology album before the pair released another album singing about how happy they are.
On the other hand, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's relationship ended after allegations of Thompson cheating on Khloe with her friend Jordy Woods.
Actress Kristen Stewart had a fling with married director Rupert Sanders while dating her co-star Robert Pattison. She later issued a public apology.
"You look at your children and the far you have come together and you have to put it behind you," she shares. "My husband of 15 years cheated on me in 2010 and I left my matrimonial home for one year. He was apologetic about it, and seeing how my two children were suffering in the absence of their father, I decided to forgive him," she adds.
After cheating and feeling bad about it, a new dilemma springs up. Should you tell your partner about it? Will your relationship survive the pain of revelation or it will leave an unfading scar?
Experts say you can pardon the cheating if it's out of character, your partner feels bad about it, and they're willing to communicate. However, if your partner is a perennial adulterer, forgiving them might not stop the behaviour.
