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The older you are, the more likely you are to cheat on your partner, the Nation survey shows.
Twenty four per cent of those in the 18-20 age group admitted to being unfaithful, compared to 38.3 per cent of those aged over 50.
More than a third of men (37.3 per cent) admitted to having cheated on their wives compared with 26 per cent of women. However, whether men are bigger cheats or women are more discreet remains an open question.
Combined, 32.4 per cent of people questioned admitted to having cheated on their partners, with 17.5 per cent refusing to comment.
Asked if they had ever considered cheating, 33.2 per cent said: "Yes".
There was significantly more cheating among the married than those just dating – even though fidelity was expected – with 34.7 per cent of married people compared to 29.7 per cent of single people owning up to cheating.
Almost double (27.3 per cent) the number of men compared to women (15.4 per cent) admitted having sex with someone other than their regular partner in the past year. However, a significantly higher and almost equal number of men and women (66.9 per cent) said they knew of someone who was cheating.
Then, the pollsters asked, what should be done with the love cheats?
The overwhelming majority at 67.2 per cent believed they should be given counselling and guidance. Next, 13.4 per cent thought the answer was . . . nothing at all.
"People are free to do what is good for themselves," they said.
The next group – but only 8.2 per cent – thought separation or divorce was the answer while 5.6 per cent said the guilty person should be punished by a pastor or jailed. Another 2.5 per cent urged "moral education." Then 1.7 per cent said the wronged person should be given someone else to marry and 1.4 per cent said simply, "Forgive them."
A tiny number – 0.2 per cent – thought the best thing would be to let the wronged partner go off and cheat themselves, in revenge.
But why do people cheat?
Most people, at 19.3 per cent, said it was because they were not getting enough attention from their regular spouses.
Next came 17.1 per cent who said it was because their regular partner did not satisfy them sexually. If their partner was away and they felt lonely, 10.2 per cent would cheat while 6.3 per cent said they would probably do so if drunk.
To relieve boredom was the reason given by 5.8 per cent and 3.5 per cent admitted they would have sex with someone else if they offered them a lot of money.
Cheating raises the spectre of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), however, as does premarital sex and both men and women equally agreed that STDs and Aids was a problem.
In spite of the very real risks of disease and death, fewer men, at 53.2 per cent, than women (62 per cent) thought that pre-marital sex was immoral and should be discouraged. Indeed, twice as many men than women (18.4 per cent to 9.6 per cent) found premarital sex top be normal and healthy.
Sex should have started sooner for 18.9 per cent of men, but 70.4 per cent of women wished they had started later. A significant 18.6 per cent of women wished they had never had sex at all, and a notable 13.8 per cent of those who are married wished they had never started having sex.
More men at 20.3 per cent than women (16.9 per cent) believe in the safety of the condom.
Of interest is that condom use decreases with age and that fewer women (31.7 per cent) than men (41.6 per cent) have used a condom in the last six months.
Also, condom use increases the better educated the person.
Asked about safe sex, the largest number of those questioned – 39.2 per cent – said there was no such thing as safe sex; it was only safe if you abstained.
It's only safe with your regular partner, replied 28.1 per cent while 18.8 per cent said it was only safe if you used a condom.
A disillusioned 13.8 per cent said there was nothing safe about sex at all.
Asked if they knew of someone had had sex without a condom during the past six months, 68.4 per cent said No, while 31.6 per cent replied Yes.
The circumstances under which people had used a condom during the past six months varied.
Most (37.8 per cent) said they had used a condom whenever having sex, while the next largest group at 24.9 per cent said they used a condom whenever having sex not with their regular partner.
"When having sex with someone I did not trust," replied 18.4 per cent, and 12 per cent announced they had used a condom when having sex with their new spouse. | 
