Cheaters are less likely to use protection, new research says.
By Amanda Chatel — Written on Jun 21, 2012
If cheating itself isn't bad enough, now science confirms that cheaters, on top of being assholes, are also less likely to wrap it up before having sex with someone who isn't their partner. Gross! Let's just pour some (green, oozing) salt on that open wound, shall we?
In a recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers discovered that when it came to all those cheating hearts out there, 27 to 35 percent don't use a condom. That blows my mind.
And once you add alcohol to the mix, that statistic turns into a drastic 64 percent. That's the majority of cheaters not using protection, and then crawling back into bed with their significant other, where they probably also aren't using protection — and we wonder why things like HPV and other STDs are so damn prevalent. Cheaters are pretty much a breeding ground for veneral diseases! Yum! But, hey, if your partner gets herpes from you because you refuse to behave, then you can just blame it on shots of Jameson, right? Yeah, good luck with that.
The upside to these findings is that those who are in emotionally committed, yet sexually open relationships were far more likely to practice safe sex both at home and on the prowl. It seems that once you've both signed up for such an agreement, the respect and health factor are taken much more seriously — and chances for coming down with the clap decrease.
Based on these findings, what seems to be paramount is respect. If you love someone enough, you won't cheat. If you're only lukewarm about someone and you do cheat, your lukewarm feelings are bound to make you more apathetic and careless about your partner's health. But it's those who are actually vocal and communicative about their relationship, and open to the fact that sex is just sex and love is a completely different ballgame, who really know what's up. I'm in no way condoning open relationships, but they do seem to prove that respect goes a long way.
No matter the occasion, use protection. The world has enough dirty people and sad statistics!
Do you have experience with cheating-related STDs?