Ashley Madison Hack Could Spike Divorce Rate

Most Pennsylvania readers are aware of the recent hack into the website of Ashley Madison. Before the media began reporting about the site’s security breach, few people knew about the site, which offers people who are married a platform through which to seek sexual partners outside of their marriage. Now that hackers have gained access to the full list of Ashley Madison clients, a number of marriages may be headed for divorce.

The information stolen from the company has been disseminated through various online avenues. The manner in which a curious spouse can search for their partner among the company’s client list is varied and continues to expand. While authorities are working to determine who is behind the hack, there is no question that many couples across the nation are engaging in a series of difficult conversations based on search results that place a husband or wife among those looking to cheat online.

For some, the realization that one’s spouse was at least trying to cheat will be enough to end the marriage. In such cases, the best course of action may be to meet with a divorce attorney before discussing the matter with one’s spouse. This gives the individual who was wronged a chance to fully understand the divorce process and what is required before a decision is made as to how to proceed. It can also give one party the chance to gather documents and financial information before the divorce is initiated and contention rises.

Each and every marriage is unique, and the Ashley Madison hack may not lead to divorce for some spouses who were registered with the site. That said, divorce attorneys in Pennsylvania and elsewhere expect to be busy in the coming months, as more and more spouses find out what their partner has been up to online and decide whether to take steps to end the marriage. For some, knowing that a husband or wife is even considering being unfaithful is enough to cause permanent and irreparable damage to the relationship.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Divorce Lawyers Brace For ‘Tsunami’ After Ashley Madison Hack“, Alexander C. Kaufman, Aug. 19, 2015