A survey reported by The Wall Street Journal says that between 1991 and 2006, the numbers of unfaithful wives under age 30 increased by 20% and husbands by a whopping 45%.

Is it fair to say that the sanctity of marriage has lost some value?

Maybe so, but there are some changes within society that have logically brought us to this point:

A marriage counselor in the article believes that infidelity in most instances is simply a matter of opportunity, since people have more chance encounters when hanging out, which increases the chance of infidelity.

The article says the opportunity for infidelity has increased since large numbers of women came into the workplace. People also have more “secrecy” with modern technology like cell phones and emails.

More people are waiting to get married later in life, so they are “hooking up” and having relationships with multiple partners before marriage. Since 1950, the age of first marriage has risen to 25 from 20 for women and to 27 from 22 for men.

The article also sites the phenomenon of “friends with benefits,” which can in time turn friendships into a source of temptation.

Now if I couldn’t be more depressed about how socially acceptable cheating has become since experts say our culture has become more sexually permissive over the past 50 years, the attitudes against adultery have gotten firmer over time too.

More than 90% of those surveyed believe cheating on their spouse is always wrong.

Glad to know so many have a conscious, but will it guide your actions?

(Angela Gaul / The Journal News)