Bankers having more affairs because of recession, report says
When it comes to relationships, the slumping economy is blamed for a lot.
Less time at home. Too much time at home. More stress. Less sex.
But accusations of mass infidelity, to the best of my knowledge, hadn’t yet been made … until now.
British website IllicitEncounters.com – think Ashley Madison with worse teeth – is alleging the downturn has caused a major increase in bankers looking for extra-marital affairs.
According to a report in Reuters, the number of Illicit Encounters members working in financial services has jumped to more than 20,000 (out of about 380,000 total) since the collapse of the U.K. markets last autumn.
The site even surveyed about 600 men and women bankers to find a list of reasons why they’d resulted to adultery.
“The list shows that public revulsion for bankers combined with a lack of affection in private was the top reason for having an affair,” said Reuters, “followed closely by the excitement of doing something risky, escaping boredom, feeding the ego and one-upping the boys with a trophy mistress.”
Now, quotes like this don’t help the cause here: “Where I work, many of the tops (sic) dogs are open about their affairs,” one banker admitted. “Having a mistress is like having a flash car.”
But, look past the impossible-to-condone stuff about feeding egos and one-upping the boys and there seems to be a legitimate issue here.
Public revulsion, as it was put, is a major problem for people in the financial sector. As far as society is concerned, every suit-wearing, briefcase-holding banker is a crook to the highest degree these days. It’s your fault I’m out of a job, and it’s your fault we’re broke.
Is that true? Of course not. Yet is that much solace to a group fighting for its reputation every day at work? No, not likely.
Here's the full list of reasons bankers gave Illicit Encounters for having an affair:
1. To feel loved
2. For the thrill
3. Unstable home life
4. To escape the mundane
5. Ego boost
6. To avoid costly divorce
7. To lavish attention on someone
8. Because they feel entitled
9. Because they can/opportunity
10. Peer pressure
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Pissd | Dec 2, 2021 12:16:13 PM
I’d like to share with you my own personal experience at my work, not in the financial sector, where there are more than a few married executives and business partners who ogle and whisper to each other about how attractive they think I am and they make no attempt to be discreet about it, there is no HR here and there are no female executives, the place is run by dogs. They stare and don’t say good morning, I could be wearing a potato sack for all I care, but for these dogs it makes no difference, they just want one thing. A couple of them have come forward offering to take me to lunch, coffee etc. While I initially accepted coffee from one just as I would from any one of my female colleagues, without thinking beyond “thank you for the coffee” I will get us the next one. This is what good friends and colleagues do for one another, so I accepted thinking he is just being friendly and I am known to be a social butterfly at times, I enjoy talking to people so what I am attractive, I have no intention of dating a married man, because I am only interested in a man who will devote to me 100%. I take care of myself, in good shape, I like fashion, dress professionally, etc. But I do this for myself not for anyone else, and certainly not for these dogs, and I have no intention of changing who I am as a result of this. Once I realized that he was only buying me coffee because he wanted to sleep with me, I started ignoring him as much as I could, he started to act weird and started gossiping about me to my male boss, who is not much better himself, he also ogles (but too afraid of his wife, and I am glad. Hope their wives kick their butts real hard and take ‘em to the bank if they ever find out. They do this to all the attractive women at this place, not just me! These men are dogs and I do not show any kindness towards them and nor should we come up with economic excuses or stress related excuses as to why they cheat on their wives. It has nothing to do with the economy and everything to do with their penis, ego, want their cake and eat it too. If you don’t give him what he wants he will hate you, gossip about you just like highschool telling all his male colleagues about his good times with me“his trophy mistress”. Who the f*&% do these men think they are, I am waiting on the right moment to tell him to stick it up his ass. I am just wondering if other women have gone through this and any suggestions you may have...thank you ladies.
Posted by: SP | Dec 2, 2021 9:12:46 PM
#1 reason "To feel loved" Hmm.... That sounds NOT like status chasing to me.
Perhaps the comment/diatribe by "Pissd" provides an insight into the women modern men have as future wives. 'Men are dogs', "kick their butts real hard and take ‘em to the bank if they ever find out". Nothing there about wanting the wives to provide affection & love so the husband doesn't look elsewhere. Nothing about paying for their own coffee/way or sharing the matrimonial load 50/50.
Gosh Modern women, Aren't we lucky? It's sad so many of us were lumbered with mothers like Mrs, Cleaver (leave it to beaver) instead of this shining example of modern mothers. Yeah Progress !
Posted by: spare me | Dec 2, 2021 10:35:56 PM
oh relax. men are men. oh course he is buying you coffee thinking it will go further. What did you expect a "friendship"? Face reality you are not that intresting that a guy will just want to hang out with you to talk, men have their guy friends for that. Given you self discription, you sound like a real "intresting" person.
Please face the harsh reality that you just a piece of meat and no one cares about you or your intrests.
Besides, why are you going for coffee with a married man anyways?
Posted by: Sah | Dec 2, 2021 10:56:11 PM
Dear SP,
It takes two to make a marriage or relationship work. No wives would 'kick their butts real hard' if their husbands stayed honest in their marriages, communicated their wants/needs/likes/dislikes to their wives instead of running off after a cheap thrill and behaved like humans who have control over themselves instead of engaging in behaviours like 'the wandering eye', watching porn, etc....all of which make their wives feel under appreciated (and that's probably an understatement in itself). And yes, evolving away from a robotic, saint-like Mrs. Cleaver (who has no personality, emotions, dreams or aims of her own self at all) is progress indeed...if you feel that's the only kind of woman who makes a good wife and mother, might I suggest getting your head out of the sand and making the best of the relationships in your life with women, rather than blaming them or womankind in general for your negative attitude and perspective?
Posted by: Real World | Dec 3, 2021 8:13:43 AM
Let's all just grow up & accept reality. Huge numbers of women & men cheat for many reasons. The important thing to remember is that when the person cheating is a man, he's a brute, a cad, dispicable, looking for a cheap thrill and just can't be bothered to ask his long suffering spouse. When a woman cheats it's because 'he doesn't listen to me', 'she's not being nurtured', 'he's too remote/distant', 'there has been some event which is a trama' & as such cheating only reaffirms her 'victim' status.
This approach is so much easier than acknowledging biology and human nature.
Posted by: Geez | Dec 3, 2021 7:30:04 PM
Ok guys (and gals) people cheat. period. is it bad? Yes. Do they have reasons? Yes. Does everybody understand and accept those reasons? No. So what. Move on. But I feel that there is too much generalization in the above posts, for instance Real World, have you ever heard the words "Slut" or "Whore"? Or "Home-wrecker" (If you followed anything with the Brangelina fiasco a couple years ago you have). I agree some women act entitled when it comes to men, but so do men. Take a step back from your sexes and look at the bigger picture. Its a case of nobody's perfect, how about you spend time on making yourself the kindest, most compassionate, and self-confident person you could be, you will find you will attract people like that and would never have to worry about someone cheating. At least thats my opinion.
Posted by: cynic | Dec 10, 2021 12:31:01 PM
maybe bankers can afford more mistresses nowadays.
after all, they most certainly made out like bandits after this latest economic heist (oops, i mean crisis).
Posted by: Christine Mills | Dec 28, 2021 4:07:39 PM
To the woman with the oggling men in her office, aren't you tired of the excuses the public make for why men cheat? I am so sick of it I could scream. Tell these men where to stick their penis. Not all men cheat, but the ones that do have no excuse period! They are just cheaters, and don't care who they hurt. These are also the type of men that if their wife cheated, well it would not be forgiven. They can't handle that, but it's ok for them to cheat. Frankly, us women should never put up with A CHEATING spouse, and we all need to stick together and respect each other.
Posted by: married dating | Jan 8, 2022 4:20:19 AM
I think the reason is more the social life the banks encourage the staff employers.
Drinks after work sun downers other activities sports get to no each other better well a few drink with out there partners.
Being married to a banker which i am I no first hand.
Jill
married and dating your coworkers is alive and been like it for ever.
Posted by: milf | Jan 15, 2022 7:33:02 PM
I would put alot of them reasons as to the cause of them having an affair aswell. Very good article by the way, much better than the ones i right and i'm pretty good at them.