A qualitative research on marriages ended due to cheating from the perspective of women: Processes and experiences

This research is a thesis research that examines the cheating and divorce processes of women who have been cheated on and divorced as a result of cheating, and the effects of these processes on women's lives, using a qualitative method. The aim of the research is to reveal women's experiences, difficulties, emotions, coping strategies, how they make sense of the phenomenon of infidelity and divorce, and how they reflect it on their lives. Phenomenological approach and descriptive analysis were used in the research. Seven volunteer women living in Zonguldak, Düzce, Kocaeli and Istanbul provinces participated in the research. The findings of the research are presented under themes such as the problems experienced by women during the cheating and divorce processes, emotional effects, social problems, economic problems, relations with children, life after divorce, social life and environmental change, the possibility of a second marriage, and their views on the concepts of marriage and family. As a result of the research, it was seen that cheating and divorce caused serious changes and difficulties in women's lives, but women experienced and coped with these processes in different ways, some women were negatively affected by these processes, while some women improved themselves and rebuilt their lives. The research aims to contribute to the existing literature by looking at the issues of infidelity and divorce from the perspective of women and analyzing these issues from a sociological perspective. Key Words: Cheating, Divorce, Marriage, Infidelity, Gender, Adultery