Editing Affair (section)

== Extramarital affair ==
{{Main|Infidelity|Legitimacy (family law)|Adultery|Extramarital sex}}
Extramarital affairs are relationships outside of [[marriage]] where an illicit [[romantic love|romantic]] or [[human sexuality|sexual]] relationship or a [[romantic friendship]] or [[passion (emotion)|passionate]] attachment occurs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extramarital|title=Definition of EXTRAMARITAL|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=2016-10-13}}</ref>

An affair can continue in one form or another for years, even as one of the partners in that affair passes through marriage, divorce, and remarriage. This could be considered the primary relationship, with the marriage secondary to it. Several people claim the reason for an extramarital affair is their unsuccessful marriage where both spouses fail to please each other. Dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, desire for adventure, and impulse are also major motivating factors of romantic affairs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dave |first=Smith |date=2024-12-31 |title=The Definition of an Affair: An In-depth Exploration |url=https://www.wootechie.com/2024/12/31/the-definition-of-an-affair-an-in-depth-exploration/ |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.wootechie.com |language=en}}</ref> This may be serial polygamy or other [[forms of nonmonogamy]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Strean|first1=Herbert S.|title=The Extramarital Affair|date=1980|publisher=Free Press|access-date=18 November 2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iDnWSAfBnnUC|isbn=9780765702470}}</ref>

The ability to pursue serial and clandestine extramarital affairs while safeguarding other secrets and [[conflict of interest]] inherent in the practice, requires skill in [[deception]] and duplicitous [[negotiation (process)|negotiation]]. Even to hide one affair requires a degree of skill or malicious [[gaslighting]]. All these behaviors are more usually called [[lie|lying]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mendelsohn |first=Robert |date=August 2014 |title="Collusive Infidelity," Projective Identification, and Clinical Technique |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/prev.2014.101.4.517 |journal=The Psychoanalytic Review |volume=101 |issue=4 |pages=517–546 |doi=10.1521/prev.2014.101.4.517 |pmid=25102184 |issn=0033-2836}}</ref>

Deception can be defined as the "[[covert]] manipulation of perception to alter thoughts, feelings, or beliefs". The presence of deception may indicate the degree to which the deceiver has breached fundamental conditions of [[fidelity]], reciprocal [[vulnerability]], and [[transparency (humanities)|transparency]]. Sometimes these are explicit or assumed pre-conditions of a committed [[intimacy|intimate]] relationship.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schüler |first1=Julia |last2=Job |first2=Veronika |last3=Fröhlich |first3=Stephanie M. |last4=Brandstätter |first4=Veronika |date=September 2008 |title=A high implicit affiliation motive does not always make you happy: A corresponding explicit motive and corresponding behavior are further needed |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11031-008-9096-y |journal=Motivation and Emotion |language=en |volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=231–242 |doi=10.1007/s11031-008-9096-y |issn=0146-7239}}</ref>

Individuals having affairs with married men or women can be prosecuted for adultery in some jurisdictions and can be sued by the jilted spouses in others, or named as 'co-respondents' in divorce proceedings. As of 2009, eight U.S.&nbsp;states permitted such [[alienation of affections]] lawsuits.<ref name="huffingtonpost1">{{cite news|last=Appel|first=Jacob M.|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacob-m-appel/hate-the-husband-sue-the_b_311419.html|title=Hate the Husband? Sue the Mistress!|date=2009-10-07|access-date=2010-03-01|work=Huffingtonpost.com}}</ref> Affairs with the consent of their significant others may not be considered infidelity or adultery.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

=== Extramarital Affairs in Different Cultures and Legal Systems ===
Extramarital affairs are viewed and treated differently across various cultures and legal systems, reflecting distinct [[Social norm|social norms]], [[religious beliefs]], and [[Legal framework|legal frameworks]]. In some countries, extramarital affairs are strictly condemned and can lead to serious legal or social consequences, while in others they are more socially accepted or legally tolerated. 

=== Islamic Jurisprudence and Legal Standards ===
According to '''classical [[Fiqh|Islamic jurisprudence]]''', testimony for the crime of adultery must be provided by at least four male Muslim witnesses. Some legal schools allow the substitution of up to three male witnesses with six female witnesses, but at least one witness must be male. The witnesses must be of sound mind, reliable character, and unrelated to the involved parties. This legal system emphasizes the sanctity of marriage and regards infidelity as a severe breach of religious and moral principles.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Zinā or Zināʾ |url=https://referenceworks.brill.com/display/entries/EIEO/SIM-8168.xml |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=referenceworks |doi=10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_8168 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Legal Treatment in Iran ===
In some countries like '''[[Iran]]''', extramarital affairs ('''[[Zina|zinā]]''') are considered serious offenses and can result in punishments such as '''[[Flagellation|flogging]]''' or, in some cases, '''[[stoning]]''', depending on the evidence and circumstances.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Zinā or Zināʾ |url=https://referenceworks.brill.com/display/entries/EIEO/SIM-8168.xml |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=referenceworks |doi=10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_8168 |language=en}}</ref> Stoning has historically been used as a punishment for adultery in some cases, particularly for married offenders. In one notable case, Iran carried out the stoning of two men convicted of adultery in Mashhad, as confirmed by judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi. Despite a 2002 directive from Iran’s judiciary imposing a moratorium on stoning and its subsequent removal from the draft penal code, some stoning sentences have continued to be implemented. The most recent reported stoning execution took place in 2007. International human rights organizations have criticized stoning as a punitive measure, describing it as a "grotesque" practice that intensifies the suffering of those sentenced.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-01-13 |title=Iran executes two men by stoning |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7826018.stm |work=[[BBC News Online]]access-date=2024-10-07 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Alienation of Affection Lawsuits in North Carolina ===
In '''[[North Carolina]]''', an alienation of affection lawsuit is still legally recognized. A spouse who believes their marriage has been damaged due to the interference of a third party can sue for financial damages. The lawsuit claims that the third party’s actions disrupted the marital relationship, leading to the breakdown of affection between the plaintiff and their spouse. North Carolina law does not require proof of extramarital sex; the plaintiff must demonstrate that genuine affection existed within the marriage and that the third party’s wrongful and malicious actions led to the alienation of that affection. Damages can include both economic and non-economic compensation, such as loss of earnings or emotional distress. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Bill |date=2022-03-27 |title=Is Alienation of Affection still a thing in North Carolina? |url=https://charlotte-divorce-lawyer.com/blog/is-alienation-of-affection-still-a-thing-in-north-carolina/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Divorce Lawyers Charlotte |language=en}}</ref>

=== French Political Culture and Extramarital Affairs ===
In some cases, extramarital affairs among the French elite and politicians have been regarded as private matters and have not significantly impacted their political careers. For instance, [[François Mitterrand]], former [[president of France]], maintained a long-term relationship outside his marriage and fathered a daughter with his mistress. Although the affair was known within political circles, it remained largely undisclosed to the public until after his death, with minimal effect on his political reputation. This reflects a cultural attitude in France—and perhaps in other countries—where extramarital relationships are sometimes viewed as separate from public responsibilities and are less likely to influence political standing. <ref>{{Cite news |last=Chrisafis |first=Angelique |date=2016-10-05 |title=François Mitterrand's love letters to secret mistress to be published |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/05/francois-mitterrands-love-letters-to-secret-mistress-to-be-published |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

=== Public Opinion  ===
Public opinion surveys reveal that French society is notably more tolerant of extramarital affairs compared to other nations, particularly regarding the personal lives of political figures. A 2013 Pew Research Center study highlighted that only 47% of French respondents considered infidelity morally unacceptable, making it the lowest rate among 39 countries surveyed. This is in stark contrast to the United States, where 84% of respondents viewed infidelity as morally wrong. Such findings reflect a significant cultural divergence in how private morality is perceived in public life.This tolerance is further underscored by a 2014 Pew Research Center report, which examined attitudes toward infidelity across eight European Union nations. The report revealed a median disapproval rate of 65%, yet France again recorded the lowest level of moral condemnation among the surveyed countries. These results suggest that French society prioritizes professional competence and political effectiveness over personal behavior, particularly when evaluating public figures.The leniency in public opinion likely contributes to the resilience of French politicians’ careers despite personal controversies. It also shapes media coverage in France, where the press traditionally avoids delving into politicians' private lives unless directly relevant to their roles. This cultural attitude reinforces the separation between personal morality and public responsibilities in French society.
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/04/16/europeans-hold-more-liberal-views-on-moral-issues/?utm_source=chatgpt.com | title=Europeans hold more liberal views on moral issues | date=16 April 2014 }}</ref>