Nationwide cheating shows erosion in morality, says Scripture Union

More than 3.4 million people in the UK are currently cheating on their partners, according to research released by WordLive.org, a Scripture Union online resource to make the world's original guidebook for life, the Bible, more accessible.

Seven per cent of the population has admitted they are seeing someone else behind their partner's back in a nationwide poll. And 16 per cent of those have been even having an affair for the last year or more. Men are worse than women, with a worrying 11 per cent of them owning up to currently having an affair, compared to just six per cent of women.

James Burden for WordLive.org, which carried out the survey into the public attitude to morals, said: "This research uncovered some uncomfortable truths about our society, revealing the erosion of morality and basic rights and wrongs.

"The detrimental effect of moral indifference and casual negligence threatens to break up the foundations of our communities.

"Our aim is to make the world's original guidebook for healthy lifestyles more accessible, and promote the Bible's relevance for modern living and deal with life's tricky conundrums."

The poll, of 2,500 people, also revealed that 32.4 per cent of cheating men have had
more than two affairs but only 22.5 per cent of unfaithful women have had the same
number.

More than half of men have thought about a fling with a work colleague and more than a quarter say the main reason for their affair was to 'have a bit of fun'. Another 17 per cent were bored in their relationship and seven per cent blamed their partner for not keeping them satisfied in the bedroom.

Four out of ten polled admit to fantasising about being with someone else other than their partner and feel they need to 'get it out of their system'. It seems, however, that those in happy relationships are not necessarily safe, as the poll revealed 12 per cent of people would still cheat even if there were no problems with their partner.

WordLive.org was launched recently by Scripture Union as a free-of-charge online resource to help people to explore ways of achieving more fulfilled lives through accessing the Bible and its stories.

"WordLive.org provides practical and relevant advice for modern living and has turned the Bible into a digital resource for a world that's getting faster, smaller and yet more complex," said Mr Burden.

It is not just the increase in adultery that is highlighted in the poll. Two thirds of those asked said they would lie to cover their own backs and four out of ten admitted to stealing.

Yet the research into the nation's behaviour found them morally conscious when it came to the work place. Three quarters of those polled said they would intervene if they saw bullying in the office and only one in five would try to pass something off as their own to make themselves look good.

The poll also revealed that parental guidance is still vitally important, with three quarters of those polled saying they had a great deal of respect for their parents.

As a nation, the British also appear to be relatively happy with their lot, with less than a third thinking their neighbour had a nicer house or car.


From the WordLive survey: cities having the most affairs at the moment
1. Newcastle
2. Bristol
3. Liverpool
4. Sheffield
5. Norwich
6. London
7. Manchester
8. Birmingham
9. Coventry
10. Cambridge