Victoria Milan, a leading dating site connecting attached adults across the globe, has revealed the results of a worldwide survey into people’s cheating habits on Valentine’s Day.
The study asked participants whether they planned to spend the day with their partner or their lover, and what excuses they would use to get away. The survey involved 5907 adults, from such diverse countries as US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and 13 European countries.
Valentine’s Day is regarded as the most romantic day of the year, inspiring millions of couples to make an extra effort every February 14th. However, for men and women conducting affairs, there is a major question: with whom will they spend their Valentine’s Day? Victoria Milan’s survey discovered that 47% of women celebrate the day, while 53% show no interest in the festivities; and 45% of men around the world mark Valentine’s Day, though 55% choose to ignore it.
When asked about where their priorities lie on the day, 38% of female participants said they planned to only see their lover, while 35% will only spend Valentine’s Day with their partner. However, 27% of women said they would see both of their significant others.
Men, on the other hand, gave some significantly different answers. 36% said they will only celebrate with their lover, but a considerable 43% plan to only enjoy their partner’s company. While 1% of male participants said they will celebrate with both their partner and their lover, 27% of women planning to do the same.
Adults planning to spend time with their lover were also asked what excuses they will use to get away from their partners. For men and women alike, the most common excuse was that they have to work overtime, with 35% of women and 47% of men relying on this to snatch precious hours with their lover on Valentine’s Day. The second most-popular excuse is exercising, with 26% of women and 28% of men drawing on it. Meeting a lonely friend who has just been dumped will be blamed by 19% of women, considerably more than the 12% of men saying the same. Rushing out to buy the partner a secret gift was another popular excuse, used by 15% of women but just 9% of men. Lastly, visiting a sick family member was the least-used excuse, employed by just 6% of women and 4% of men.
For some participants, there is a grain of truth to their excuses: 32% of women said they have actually had to work overtime on Valentine’s Day in the past, though 52% of men claim to have done the same. Meanwhile, 31% of women have been called upon to comfort a heartbroken, recently-separated friend on Valentine’s Day, though just 21% of men could say the same. And 45% of women have genuinely sought a secret gift for their partner on Valentine’s Day, compared with a startling 54% of men. On the other hand, 35% of women have visited a sick relative on Valentine’s Day, followed closely by 28% of men.
Founder and CEO of Victoria Milan, Sigurd Vedal, says the data offers fascinating insights into Valentine’s Day’s importance to all adult relationships. “These responses show that a high number of people remain committed to spending Valentine’s Day with their long-term partner rather than their lover, meanwhile those who spend the day with their lovers are likely looking for a more passionate experience, rather than a sentimental one. That many participants claim to use excuses that have, in the past, been true demonstrates how a high level of consideration surrounds their affairs, drawing on past experiences to avoid suspicion.”
