A new cheating map has revealed that almost 18,000 people have had and/or are having affairs in Southampton this year.

Data from the dating site for married people IllicitEncounters.com shows that 17,993 people in the city have had or are having an affair, which is up from 17,008 from 2021.

The interactive Infidelity Index allows users to search a city, town or postcode to discover how many people are having affairs in any locality.

In comparison to other areas around Hampshire, Portsmouth has had 20,776 cheats this year, Farnborough has had 1,499 and Gosport has had 1,283.

Daily Echo: Southampton has seen an increase in people having affairs in the area in the last year, according to the data (PA)Southampton has seen an increase in people having affairs in the area in the last year, according to the data (PA)

IllicitEncounters.com spokesperson Jessica Leoni said: “We have seen a 6 per cent rise in affairs in Southampton over the last year.

“The cost of living crisis has been a huge factor in boosting the numbers of affairs. Sex is one of the few things you can do which is free and is a good way to relieve stress.

“Fewer unhappy couples can afford to divorce because the cost of setting up two new homes is astronomical. Far cheaper to stay in an unhappy relationship and have a discreet affair.

“A second factor has been life finally returning to normal after Covid and cheaters making up for lost time after two years of restrictions.

“The run-up to Christmas is always a boom time for affairs because most people are back in the office and looking for some fun.”

To see the map you can view it at the Illicit Encounters website here.

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