Why do married women have affairs?

The most common reasons are that they feel neglected and taken for granted and want someone to pay attention to them and appreciate them and make them feel attractive and desired.

For the same reason men cheat on there wifes the most common reasons are that they feel neglected and taken for granted and want someone to pay attention to them and there is an attraction to cheat and it's for sex they don't get at home along with the fact they just want to feel wanted and not negelacted and taken for granted.

While I won't disagree with the first 2 answers I'll add one of my own which is opportunity. There has been a double standard which seems to be that it's ok for men to cheat but unacceptable for women. Until recent years most married men worked while most wives stayed at home raising kids. Now that women comprise half of the work force the numbers of women having affairs has risen dramatically. So while no one (husband or wife) wants to be taken for granted and etc., etc., there is the temptation of meeting someone new and exciting, which more women are now taking advantage of. I am not advocating sex outside of marriage but the double standard does need to disappear because men don't have any more rights than women. I'll guarentee you that that the man who vigorously defends his extra-marital sex would be the last to accept that from his wife.

there husbands are too busy to satisfy them.  They need to get a male friend

Four good posts above.

Women, more than men, need the emotional support and sense of being appreciated, loved and respected from their spouse.  Yes, men too; but not as much as women.  Many men do not understand this ... or they get too preoccupied with work and their other interests ... or they are too tired ... or they are grouch ... or they just stopped opening the door and pulling out the chair and it was rolling downhill ever since.  Then many men take what their spouses do for them for granted (most of the child care, cleaning house, grocery shopping, cooking, and many working too) and men come to expect that, rather than appreciate it.  Not all women do all that so well, but most do.  Then the husbands start snapping at the wife, and insult her time to time, yell at her time to time and say things they should not say ... and on "down hill" the relationship is rolling then!   Now, along comes a nice guy who will open the door, pull out the chair, tell her how beautiful and sexy she is and how wonderful she is ... i.e. she gets the appreciation and attention she is not getting at home they way she use to and the way she would like (and the way she actually needs, to have a good sense of self and self worth and to feel pretty and sexy ... all the things she use to have from the husband).   At this point, women are vulnerable to being attracted to the new "nice guy" (since her original "nice guy" checked out over the years of marriage).   And you put gas fumes near a flame and BANG ... no pun intended ... you have an "affair" (often unplanned by the wife, but her emotional needs and needs to feel appreciated, sexy, desired all take over).

There are a zillion variations on what triggers adultery by wives, but most of them would fall into that general category.   Most men don't really fully understand and appreciate that.

Rob

Wow ...another poster with a 1 month old account...and no ans. or comments...only questions....how very strange.....Well, I might as well step in on this one,,,,,

I've only had an affair with just two married women....one was separated from her husband...the other was in a abusive relationship from a man that had trouble staying out of jail....and hey, just look at me ...what married babe...wouldn't want to cheat on her hubby with me?....Damn! I'm gorgeous!

......'Good Lovin' Inc.    ....hehehe

Hell hath no fury like a woman unappreciated, to bend an old saying.

There are many excuses...Repeat excuses...Not reasons.