The coronavirus lockdown is driving frustrated Irish couples online to have affairs while stuck at home.
Cheaters are having video sex dates on Skype, Facetime and Zoom as Covid-19 restrictions force them to stay indoors with their partners.
New figures show a 15% rise in activity amongst Irish users of IllicitEncounters.com, a dating site for married people.
The cheating service has seen an 18% increase in use from male members in the last month, while female activity is up 12%.
Member and Dublin gym worker Grace has had three affairs online and is using the lockdown as an opportunity to line up future hook-ups.
The 38-year-old said: “I am stuck in a dead marriage but I cannot afford to leave my husband because we cannot afford to set up two new homes in the current climate.
“I am not going on any new dates while this crisis is going on for obvious reasons but I am setting things up with a couple of fellas for when the lockdown ends.”
More than half of male members (54%) said they had started new affairs in the last four weeks.
Boredom is the main reason for the rise given by 74% of men on the site.
Meanwhile, almost half of female members (46%) had made contact with a new man in the last four weeks.
Two-thirds of women (62%) said the crisis had exposed weaknesses in their main relationship and made them realise they wanted to try something new.
IllicitEncounters.com sex and relationship expert Jessica Leoni said: “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.
“Cheats are crawling up the walls with frustration while stuck at home.
“They are bickering with their partners and seeking fresh relationships elsewhere.
“As soon as the lockdown ends, there will be a huge rise in the number of physical affairs."
She added: “The crisis is a huge 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.”
