Extramarital sex in elders

In elder Americans, a fifth has extramarital sex, according to a survey.

International Business Times: Americans in their fifties and sixties are far more likely to cheat on their partners

According to a survey conducted by the General Social Survey in the US, three-fourths of the respondents stated that extramarital sex is ethically wrong. This idea is broadly accepted, I believe. But, in real, 20% of the late fifties and sixties are cheating on their partners, while only 14% of Americans under the age of 55. Sociodemographic status did not affect this percentage, according to the survey.

It seems that older Americans were grown up in the environment where sexual exploration was dominant. On the other hand, younger people are less likely to expose to the idea of sexual freedom. Thus, it is possible that younger Americans are more conservative than elders in the US.

In Japan, the situation is not the same. Japanese in the fifties and sixties generally have very strict idea about sex, perhaps because the education they took in the post-WWII era.

But it does not mean younger Japanese are open to having a sex with strangers. I reckon some young Japanese are indifferent to sexual affinity. It is partially due to the variety of leisure.

Midlife crisis is also a factor to bring them to extramarital sex. The divorce rate in elders is increasing both in Japan and the US. Nowadays, a half of Americans and a third of Japanese couple experience divorce. It is an important issue for many people how to enjoy their second life.