Friday, September 25, 2009

Infidelity and The World of Cybersex

(source : TheSun)

More than half of people who engage in cybersex are married or in a serious relationship, according to new research from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

The findings of a new study into cybersex participants, conducted by Swinburne doctoral candidate Marcus Squirrell, will be presented at the Australian Psychological Society conference in Darwin next week.

For the study Squirrell surveyed over 1300 internet users who regularly frequented online sex, fetish and swinging sites to engage in online sexual activities – ranging from downloading erotic pictures and chatting online to using webcams to interact with others.

He found that 55% of respondents were either married or classified themselves as ‘in a committed relationship’. He also found that 65% of respondents had met someone offline after engaging in cybersex with them online.

According to Squirrell, many people can benefit from using the internet for sexual activity. But for some participants, particularly those in relationships, it can become problematic and damage their ‘real life’ interactions.

“For many people, chat-lines can provide a vehicle for exploring their sexuality in a safe environment, which may increase their sense of social and emotional connectedness to their community,” he said.

“But for some people their use of the internet for cybersex becomes unmanageable and their behaviour takes on an obsessive and compulsive flavour,” he said.

“These people are putting so much energy into cybersex – in some cases up to 10 hours per day – that it is detracting from their relationship with their partner. It can also adversely affect other areas of their lives, such as their education and employment.”

The Swinburne study also found that cybersex participants are mostly male, well educated and with an average age of 41 years.

According to Squirrell, cybersex addiction is a growing phenomenon in Australia, with more people seeking treatment than ever before.

He hopes that the findings of this study will give psychologists a better understanding of the psychological characteristics of cybersex participants, to enable best-practice treatment.

The 44th Annual Australian Psychological Society conference will be held in Darwin from Sept 30 to Oct 4, 2009.

Marcus Squirrel runs a Melbourne-based psychological practice, specialising in cybersex addiction. For more information visit
www.marcussquirrell.com.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This either must be a very boring subject or a taboo subject. Or...everyone is doing it and shy to comment. So here goes.

It's become a sad, sad world folks. Where people have to resort to the cyber world for escapism, realism and whatever isms there are.

Turn the clock back 20 years. How were relationships back then? For those not old enough, ask your parents. It's no wonder divorce rates are high, relationships are nigh.

1Malaysia? More like 1Ciber.

Nora said...

I'm sure such problem is also on the rise in Malaysia. I'm wondering in Malaysia, how would The Khalwat Troopers and the Moral Police handle such issues. You can stop people from meeting in person [ in so call hot spots] but over the internet.....

Samuel Goh Kim Eng said...

CYBERSPACE FOR IMAGINED SEX?

Sex can now be real or imagined
Through cyberspace as a fantasy
Whether sober or drunk with gin
It's an outlet that seems too easy

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 270909
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Sun. 27th Sept. 2009.

sequerah said...

don't know about cybersex, but i know of many relationships that had been busted because of the cellphone.

the emergence of the cellphone and its indispensability to the zillions of users have made infidelity all the easier....caya-lah gua!

how can a relationship be busted? simply -- the users are usualy so careless. leaving a trail of signs and evidence...

moral of the story -- make sure you know how to use technology intelligently. otherwise you'll be caught with your pants down. now, if you are smart -- you can(even) get away with murder.

Adios!