Infidelity

Infidelity has become more socially acceptable over the past ten years among one-half (51%) of Canadians, according to a recent CTV/Angus Reid Group poll. Overall, almost two in ten (18%) Canadians report that they have had an affair, compared to eight in ten (80%) who indicate that they have not.

Knowing that their best friend's spouse or partner was having an affair, just under one-half (45%) of Canadians would tell their friend about it, compared to one-half (48%) who would not.

Finally, of the large majority (96%) of Canadians aware of the Internet, just over one-half (53% of the 96% aware of the Internet) would not consider "virtual sex" as having an affair; however, almost four in ten (38% of the 96% aware of the Internet) would consider "virtual sex" as having an affair.

These are the highlights of the findings of the of the province-wide poll of 1,200 Canadians aged 18 years and older conducted between August 22nd and 24th, 1997.

Social Acceptance of Affairs

One-half (51%) of Canadians believe that having an affair is more acceptable behaviour today than it was ten years ago, compared to one-quarter (26%) who feel that it is less acceptable behaviour and to two in ten (19%) who feel that the acceptability of having an affair has not changed over the past ten years. Four percent (4%) are undecided. (Table 1)

• Atlantic Canadians (64%), those aged 55 and older (58%) and less affluent Canadians with annual household incomes of less than $30,000 (59%) are disproportionately more likely to feel that having an affair is more acceptable behaviour today than it was ten years ago. As well, widowed Canadians (67%), "single" Canadians (59%) and those who are either separated or divorced (58%) tend to be more likely to believe that having an affair is more acceptable behaviour today than it was ten years ago.
• Interestingly, the same proportion of Canadians who report having had an affair (51%) in comparison to those who report that they have not had an affair (51%) feel that infidelity is more socially acceptable than it was ten years ago.

Faithful or Unfaithful?

Almost two in ten (18%) Canadians report that they have had an affair, compared to eight in ten (80%) who report that they have not. Two percent refused to respond. (Table 1)

• Canadians who appear to be most faithful (or who are most likely to report not having had an affair) include Atlantic Canadians (90%), residents of Saskatchewan/Manitoba (90%), married Canadians (88%), and females (84%, versus 75% among males).
• To the contrary, residents of Quebec (28%) and males (22%, versus 14% of females) are more likely to report having had an affair.

Exposing Affairs

When Canadians were asked, "suppose that your best friend's spouse was having an affair that you found out about, would you tell your friend about it?", public opinion was split with just under one-half (48%) reporting that they would not tell their friend about the affair, compared to a similar proportion (45%) indicating that they would tell their friend about their spouse's affair. Seven percent (7%) are undecided. (Table 1)

• Canadians who are more prone to tell their friend about their spouse's affair include younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 (68%), residents of Saskatchewan/ Manitoba (53%) and "single" Canadians (62%).
• On the other hand, widowed Canadians (79%), residents of Quebec (58%) and those who report having an affair (58%, versus 46% who have not) are more likely to indicate that they would not tell their friend about their spouse's affair.

Virtual Sex

Canadians aware of the Internet (96% of total Canadians) were asked to indicate if they would consider a married or co-habitating person having "virtual sex" with someone other than their partner on the Internet as having an "affair". Of the 96% of Canadians aware of the Internet, almost four in ten (38% of the 96% aware of the Internet) would consider "virtual sex" as having an affair. However, just over one-half (53%) of Canadians aware of the Internet would not consider "virtual sex" as having an affair. (Table 2)

• Of the 96% of Canadians aware of the Internet, those most likely to consider "virtual sex" as having an affair tend to be younger Canadians (43%), females (46%, versus 29% of males) and those with annual household incomes of between $30,000 and $60,000 (43%).
• To the contrary, of the 96% of Canadians aware of the Internet, those who are disproportionately more likely to feel that "virtual sex" is not considered to be having an affair are more prone to be British Columbians (63%), males (63%, versus 44% of females), more affluent Canadians with annual household incomes of $60,000 or more (61%), those in common law relationships (63%) and those who report having had an affair (61%).

This Canada-wide poll was conducted by telephone between August 22nd and 24th, 1997, among a representative cross-section of 1,200 Canadian adults aged 18 years and older.

The data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 1996 Census data.

With the national sample of 1,200, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within ±2.8 percentage points of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within the various sub-groupings of the survey population.

For further information, contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900