Some couples divorce because they grow apart. Others divorce due to intolerable misbehavior that compromises the relationship. Infidelity can completely destroy the trust and respect necessary for a healthy marital relationship.
Those who discover infidelity may no longer feel safe in their relationships. They may worry about their personal vulnerability if they remain in the marriage. Accusations of infidelity are among the top reasons that people decide to divorce. There are actually three different types of infidelity that can undermine marital relationships.
Sexual or physical infidelity
When people talk about infidelity, frequently their focus is on physical intimacy. People who discover that their spouses have become intimate with another person often do not feel comfortable staying in the marital relationship anymore. Sexual infidelity can expose people to disease. It can cause financial issues, as the cheating spouse almost always spends marital money in the pursuit of their affair. Infidelity can also cause substantial financial hardship if there is a child produced outside of wedlock.
Financial infidelity
Another common reason that people decide to divorce is that they discover their spouses have been lying about key financial matters. Financial infidelity involves the intentional misrepresentation of financial circumstances. Some people commit financial infidelity by lying about their spending habits. They may hide major credit card debts from their spouses. Other times, financial infidelity involves hiding good fortune. Spouses have secret assets or hidden bank accounts where they set aside some of their income for themselves without disclosing it to their spouses as they should. Financial infidelity involves calculated misrepresentation often committed over the course of many years and can leave people unable to trust their spouses anymore.
Emotional infidelity
Many affairs don’t start as physical infidelity. They begin with emotional connections. One spouse starts going to another person with issues that they should discuss with their spouse. They begin prioritizing that other person over their spouse. Many emotional affairs eventually result in sexual infidelity. However, even if it never becomes physical, the choice to prioritize another person over a spouse can do real damage to the relationship.
Those looking to leave a marriage because of infidelity need to know about the basics of the divorce process. Understanding the law and focusing on the future can help those harmed by a discovery of infidelity prepare to move on with their lives.
