Having an extramarital affair is the top cause of divorce in the
largest metropolis of China, according to a recent survey conducted
by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.
The survey shows that more than 40 percent of divorced couples
believe that extramarital sex leaves people deeply hurt and leads
directly to the family breaking up. Other threats to family life
include personality differences, domestic violence and financial
disputes.
In
another related survey conducted among over 1,000 ordinary Shanghai
citizens, some 75 percent strongly opposed the idea of seeking
someone else other than their spouse for sex and only 5 percent
voiced consent.
Contrary to the traditional passive image of women in marriage,
wives seeking extramarital sex outnumber husbands in divorce cases
as shown by the survey, which also indicates that such cases most
often occur in ordinary families rather than rich ones as is widely
believed.
Experts say the survey results indicate that women are more apt to
separate from their husbands once extramarital sex occurs.
When husbands seek an extramarital affair it is mainly for
excitement. Wives are looking for comfort that they can no longer
find in their own family lives, explained the experts.
They also believe that Shanghai citizens are more reserved when it
comes to extramarital affairs compared with people from other major
Chinese cities including Beijing, Harbin and Guangzhou.
(Xinhua News Agency 07/20/2001)