– Online affair service Ashleymadison.com confirms this phenomenon with a 439% increase in sign-ups –
While Valentine’s Day meant romantic dinners and roses for many couples, the days before and after the holiday sent thousands to infidelity dating website Ashleymadison.com. The affair service saw huge membership growth earlier this week, both in advance of and in the aftermath of Valentine’s Day.
While February 13th — also known as Mistress Day — saw a 271% increase in signups, there was actually a 314% decrease in signups on Valentine’s Day itself. The most prolific traffic came the day after Valentine’s as 439% more people signed up to find what’s missing in their marriage.
The huge spike in signups on the 15th was mostly driven by married women: their membership increased by a whopping 977%.
Ashleymadison.com CEO and founder Noel Biderman says expectations around the holiday drive membership: “Mistress Day is all about avoidance. People sign up to avoid the stress they know they will have to face with their spouse the following day.” He continues, “The day after Valentine’s Day is one of our biggest days of the year. People are disappointed by their spouses’ lack of effort, and they feel especially undervalued when there is a societal expectation of romance. Certain days of the year act as litmus tests for many people in relationships.”
