A Gleeden study shows that approximately a year since infidelity was decriminalised there have been tectonic shifts in Indian society. Even before being decriminalised, infidelity was not uncommon. The study shows now that women needn’t fear any legal repercussions for cheating on their partners, many who earlier resisted the temptation to cheat have become bolder and more open to it.
Cheating which earlier was perceived as taboo and grossly against societal norms is less so now that infidelity is no longer illegal. A year ago the government took the first real step towards making Indian society re-examine its views on infidelity which are gradually becoming aligned with those of societies in progressive liberal democracies.
One year since the decriminalization of infidelity a Gleeden study reveals some striking facts.
Gleeden is a website meant exclusively for married men and women who want to engage in extramarital relationships. Its community in India has swelled by a whopping 734% since infidelity was decriminalised. The relationship between the growth of Gleeden’s community in India and the decriminalization of adultery is clear; many who were reluctant to commit adultery are now more open to it. The ratio of men to women on Gleeden’s site remained at 70:30 highlighting that more women, as well as men, have registered on the site since infidelity was decriminalised.
The study shows residents of cosmopolitan cities are most open to committing infidelity. The sharpest rise in the number of Gleeden’s community members came from the largest and most cosmopolitan Indian cities namely Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, and New Delhi. Infidelity is more prevalent in the largest cities where households are less traditional and where nuclear families have replaced joint families. In large cities, husbands and wives are likely to work making it easier to find time for a lover.
Cosmopolitanism and infidelity go hand-in-hand the study shows. The number of Gleeden’s users in Pune and Chennai, two other large cosmopolitan cities, trails New Delhi’s only slightly. The Gleeden community is growing rapidly in both these cities.
Unsurprisingly, men using Gleeden tend to scout for young women typically between the ages of 25 to 30. This is the same demographic most married men want to date in the real world. The study also showed that men tend to be open to “everything” and search for “anything exciting” from women in the Gleeden community. Trends show women on Gleeden’s site aren’t uninhibited sexually. They selectively choose partners and prefer men older to them, typically between the ages of30-40. Women using Gleeden are searching for serious partners who have stable careers and a mature outlook. Despite the decriminalization of infidelity women using Gleeden tend to be cautious preferring virtual exchanges to real-life ones.
Speaking about the findings of Gleeden Study Ms. Solene Paillet, Marketing Specialist of Gleeden said “The decriminalization of infidelity in India was a monumental event. It marked a change in Indian’s mindset bringing it closer to that of citizens in enlightened liberal democracies. Indian women and men trapped in marriages that weren’t working had little respite and suffered needlessly. They engaged in extramarital relationships prematurely and at their peril. Gleeden has changed this dynamic by allowing married men and women to feel comfortable with a potential partner before taking the next step. The result is that relationships cultivated on Gleeden are likely to meet the expectations of its community members. They also serve a much-needed outlet for married women by allowing them to become intimate with someone without meeting them in person”.