Most couples seek relationship counselling to heal a crumbling marriage, but one woman has taken a far less virtuous approach.
Layla*, 32, from Canberra, has been married for 10 years to her husband and regularly seeks out affairs in a bid to keep her relationship ‘on track’.
‘I’ve been married for 10 years and my husband is amazing,’ Layla told FEMAIL.
‘We have a young family, we both work in busy professional roles and we spend as much time together as we can.’
Layla*, 32, from Canberra, has been married for 10 years to her husband and regularly seeks out affairs in a bid to keep her relationship ‘on track’ (stock image)
Despite this, Layla said the ‘intimacy’ in the marriage is ‘long gone’ and her husband is ‘no longer interested’ in that side of the marriage.
Layla tried to ‘rebuild’ the intimate side of her marriage but as much as she tried, it simply didn’t work – even though everything else in the relationship was perfect.
‘While I was happily married I was lonely, really lonely,’ Layla said, who turned to affair dating website Ashley Madison in February to seek out an extramarital partner.
‘I met a few really lovely people and I went on coffee dates and drink dates which I enjoyed.
Despite their busy schedules, Layla and Jamie plan secret meetings with each other almost every week and speak throughout the day (stock image)
‘But I just wanted to find one person I connected with.’
And her wish came true, with Layla meeting married man Jamie* in March, just one month later.
Meeting Jamie has taken a huge pressure off my marriage.
‘I felt really comfortable around him the first time we met and we soon organised to see each other again,’ Layla said.
‘He is in a similar situation to me so in some ways it makes it much easier if we can’t see each other or have to cancel at the last minute.’
Are affairs common?
Most estimates indicate that around 60 per cent of men and 45 per cent of women are willing to report that an affair has occurred sometime in their marriage.
70 per cent of all marriages experience an affair.
Source: Sexual Health Australia
Despite their busy schedules, Layla and Jamie plan secret meetings with each other almost every week and speak throughout the day.
‘We are in contact a few times a day and our catch ups range from coffee dates and quick lunches to spending a few hours together when we have time,’ Layla said.
‘Meeting Jamie has taken a huge pressure off my marriage and I no longer feel that resentment for the lack of intimacy at home.
‘I can simply just enjoy my time with my husband and our marriage in every other way has never been better. I am so much happier.’
*Names changed