“Because divorcing him means that little gold digging bitch gets what she wants.”
People cheat on their partners for any number of reasons. Maybe they’re searching for emotional fulfilment elsewhere, they’re curious or bored, or maybe they just want to put their junk in someone else’s trunk.
But we don’t tend to talk about how the person being cheated on responds.
Some leave – but some people choose to look the other way. And the question their friends often wonder is: Why?
A recent thread on Reddit asked partners why they looked away when they knew that their partner was being unfaithful.As it happens, the reasons for staying with a cheater were as many and varied as those for cheating in the first place.
Here are some of the reasons why they stayed:
1. Revenge.
As one user explains: “Because divorcing him means that little gold digging bitch gets what she wants.”
Though the question stands: Is the Other Woman the right target for your wrath?
2. After a while, you just stop caring.
One user said they turned a blind eye because of emotional detachment.
“Over the years, we just stopped caring for each other in a romantic way,” they wrote. “We just stopped caring for each other in a romantic way.”
This particular couple now sleep in separate rooms, and don’t chat much any more.
“Niether of us minds it too much. At the very least, they’re reliable. Fun to watch TV with.”
3. Low self-esteem.
“Depression and co-dependance,” one user writes. “I never had real proof until late in the marriage, but I suspected many times. I was right and really felt something was wrong but ignored it because I was in a terrible place with myself.”
This was a common theme, with many people agreeing that a high tolerance for infidelity often corresponded with low levels of self esteem.
“I defined my own happiness based on the idea of having a partner,” one man wrote. “If I had a partner I was okay, even if the relationship was toxic because she was abusing my trust.”
Top Comments
children is a big reason ppl stay unhappy....it is a huge burden if you leave your kids....my parents separated after nearly 20 years to which only 5 were good my Mum said after it ended. That made me sad I would rather my parents be open and have left one another to be happy then see some of there struggles now as it can definitely get to you emotionally. I left a relationship I was unhappy in because I knew if I stayed I would have probably strayed as I was very unhappy and emotionally hurt. you have to muster the strength to know you are better than feeling worthless or unhappy and leave as cheating just does more damage.
#9 - it certainly screws people up!
Agreed, especially if they never received help for their childhood trauma.