As the coronavirus lockdown in the UK entered its second week, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, an unexpected boom in affairs is being noticed by experts.

Sex and relationship expert, Jessica Leoni, says that a whopping 15% rise in new registrations for cheating websites means divorces will increase when the crisis ends.

It’s reported that there has been a 15% rise in activity on cheating sites as frustrated partners stray while stuck at home.

It appears that cheats are initiating new affairs and getting around travel restrictions by having video sex on Skype and FaceTime.

IllicitEncounters .com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people, has seen an 18% rise in activity from male members in the last month and a 12% rise from women.

Over half of all male members (54%) said they had initiated new affairs in the last four weeks.

While 46% of female members had contacted a new man in the same timeframe.

Plus, 62% of women said that the crisis had exposed the weaknesses in their main relationship and made them realise they needed something fresh.

IllicitEncounters.com sex and relationship expert Jessica Leoni said: “When we get over this crisis there is going to be the biggest explosion of sex.

“It will be like the Baby Boom after the Second World War all over again.

“Cheats are crawling up the walls with frustration while stuck at home. They are bickering with their partners and seeking fresh relationships elsewhere.”

Jessica continued: “We are seeing an explosion of Skype and Facetime affairs with cheats having video sex sessions with new partners on their phones, laptops and home computers.

“As soon as the lockdown ends, there will be a big rise in the number of physical affairs.

“The crisis is a wake-up call for anyone in an unhappy relationship – it is exposing all the deep fault-lines in failing relationships and making people realise that they need to start afresh when the lockdown ends.”

Since launching 16 years ago, more than one million people have registered with IllicitEncounters .com.

It sees registrations boom on New Year’s Day, because people want to start affairs after being stuck with their partners over Christmas.

A further surge occurs in September when people return from their summer holidays and realise their relationship is over.

Jessica Leoni added: “We are finding members are currently respecting the rules on social distancing and are having sex with new partners remotely.

“All that will change when the lockdown is finally lifted. People cannot wait to reboot their lives and start an affair.”


So, does this mean that divorce and break up rates will rise after the lockdown is over?

Jessica Leoni said: “Divorce rates were at their lowest levels for 50 years before this crisis started.

“They have been coming down for years largely because fewer people are choosing to get married and are just co-habiting instead.

“Spiralling property prices have made it too expensive to divorce, not just because of the lawyers’ fees but the huge cost of setting up two new homes.”

She added: “Divorce rates are sure to shoot up in response to this crisis.

“Stress is a big cause of relationship breakdowns and what could be more stressful than being stuck together at home while you learn if you are both going to be infected by a potentially fatal virus which could kill your families, too?

“With virtually no distractions, and no way of meeting friends, couples are discovering just how little they have to say to each other – and, with the opportunity to have sex whenever they want, it seems they are still spurning physical intimacy with each other because of the underlying tensions in the relationship.”

Jessica also said that some people having affairs through IllicitEncounters .com would still be meeting despite the lockdown.

She said: “You are not going to completely kill that passion.

“People will be carrying on affairs and seeing lovers in defiance of the rules, while being sure that they are not showing any symptoms before meeting up.

“Those cheats are in a minority – most people will be sticking to the rules and just seeing their lovers remotely.

“There are lots of opportunities for clandestine meetings via video, so many people have set up offices at home – a quiet space where you can work in privacy. That works for the job and it is good for affairs, too.”

Jessica said: “Those people need to be careful to wipe their search histories on their computers – this kind of crisis really brings out the amateur sleuth in suspicious partners and they will be picking up on any small changes in behaviour.”

One cheat who spoke to the website was financial consultant Sarah, 37, who has has been married for 12 years to Paul, a solicitor.

They have no children and Sarah has had two affairs in the last year through IllicitEncounters. com.

She said: “The main issue with Paul and I is sex – we have mismatched sex drives and I have always wanted more physical activity than him.

“I would rank my sex drive as a nine, while Paul’s is a five.