To meet the expectations of its members, Gleeden– which, with nearly 3 million members, is the leader in extramarital encounters in Europe – has set up on its website an advanced search tool through which they can find their ideal lover according to very specific search criteria: figure, colour of the eyes, profession, city, marital status…. no detail is left to chance. By analysing the data most frequently selected by its members*, the site has generated a list of the criteria most sought by cheating men and women. Here is the breakdown.
Cheating men want a short relationship with a married woman
The site first asked members if a simple virtual relationship would be enough to satisfy their desires. And this seems to be the case for more than four out of ten women (41%), who say they do not need a physical relationship to break the routine of their official couple. Of these, almost half (48%) explain that they are only looking for a flirt. Yes, many married women want to reconnect with seduction without taking the step of a physical relationship. Others prefer a virtual relationship simply because they consider it less risky. This is the case for 24% of women surveyed. Finally 19% of them simply do not feel at ease with the idea of taking action and just want to talk or exchange confidences.
Men want more than just exchanging messages
When the male members of Gleeden use the advanced search tool to organise encounters, the first criterion they focus on is the “type of relationship sought.” The most frequently selected term is “short.” Since Gleeden.com is an extra-marital dating site, it is important for its members to find partners who share the same needs and expectations. This is surely why the “marital status” and “children” criteria came in second and third place in this ranking. Cheating men seem to want to avoid engaging in a relationship that is too risky, since a majority seeks a married or cohabiting woman without children.
Age comes in fourth in this ranking. According to the collected data, men look for a woman aged between 25 and 45 to spice up their routine. This is a fairly wide range, which shows that men are also open to encounters with younger women, given that the average age of Gleeden members is about 40.
Male members are likely to base their research profiles sharing at least one photo, either in their public profile visible to all members of the site, or in their private profile visible only after prior approval by the member in question: A way of ensuring even more anonymity. This criterion comes in at fifth place in this top 10, showing that men need to put a face to a nickname before allowing themselves to be tempted.
The figure is the sixth most sought criterion by men. In this case, the expressions “small curves” and “thin” came on top. The colour of the eyes that is the most sought after is “blue”, that of the hair is “blonde” and the chosen height ranges between 5.08 and 5.64 ft. Indeed, men want to find a custom-made lover.
Finally, while most dating sites rely on geolocation for increasingly easier and faster encounters, Gleeden members prefer discretion. So, geographical information only came in tenth, the last place in this ranking. On average, men look for a woman living within a 100 km radius.
Cheating women want a long relationship with a man earning between 50,000 and 75,000 euros per year
For their part, females are primarily interested in the “marital status”. And, as for men, the words “married” and “cohabiting” are the most sought after. The criterion of age comes second in this ranking, with women seeming more comfortable with a more mature partner, as they seek on average men aged 35-45. And if he wants a long relationship, this is even better, since it is the third most sought criterion by cheating women.
Then come location and occupation. Female members of Gleeden look for men living within a 50-km radius and the profession they “tick” most often is architect. Other professions are also widely voted for: writer, lawyer, doctor or musician; cheating women seem to need to be dazzled. Are they in need of admiration, the real driving force of a couple?
Income comes in at sixth place of the criteria sought by women. And the most often selected income bracket is 50,000-75,000 pounds per year. There is no doubt, cheating women want to feel pampered and be lavished attention. Something that they often lack in their official couple.
They also want to meet men who reveal a bit of their physique. The profile photo is, in fact, the seventh most selected criterion. Finally, from the eighth to the tenth place in this top 10 of most sought criteria, we find height, shape and colour of the eyes respectively. Cheating women want a big, strong man, given that the majority chooses a height that varies between 5.74 and 6.39 ft and a “normal” or “athletic” figure. And with pretty blue eyes, please!
Solène Paillet, head of Gleeden.com communications, has commented on this survey:
“The implementation of this advanced search tool is essential for a dating site like ours. The goal is not to remove all the spontaneity or to compartmentalise encounters, but, rather, to provide an opportunity for our members to meet people that match their needs and expectations. Others prefer to be surprised, and they still have the option not to use this tool.”
While males essentially focus on brief relationships with no real commitment and give a fairly important role to the physique, women look for security and a more stable relationship (although extra-marital) while physical criteria are only considered at a later stage. Again, men and women’s expectations from relationships are quite different. Be it or not a lover, it is always difficult to find the right fit!
*Ranking based on data from the European members of Gleeden.