Women value emotional support over good sex

To mark 25 years of ELLE magazine, recent research amongst UK women revealed that they are far more likely to end a relationship due to lack of emotional support than poor sex.

With emotional support and intimacy so crucial to relationship survival it is no surprise the proximity of today’s digital technology brings new infidelity threats and definitions, with online sex and flirting-by-text both widely considered as cheating and grounds for relationship breakdown.

• ‘Emotional understanding & intimacy’ the most important element of a relationship for almost half of women (46%) whilst just 2% put sex top of their list

• When asked the most likely reasons to end a relationship only 2% of women cited ‘poor sex life’, versus 38% who said ‘lack of emotional support’ was a deal breaker

• The one-one-one intimacy of online and mobile infidelity emerged as a bigger threat to relationships than flirting in person – with both online sex and flirting-by-text strongly regarded as cheating (65% and 35% respectively)

• 58% of women considered infidelity unforgivable whilst 37% said their decision to end a relationship with a cheating partner would ‘depend on the circumstances’

Jenny Dickinson, deputy editor of ELLE said: "The research showed women do not always see relationships in black and white – we saw a good balance of both modernist and traditionalist thinking within the survey. However, the results raise an uncomfortable question around infidelity in terms of what women are prepared to accept in such an integral part of their lives. As infidelity (and the way it is dealt with by high profile women) becomes ever more visible, are we lowering our expectations and simply putting up with it as an inevitable part and parcel of modern relationships today?"