MALAYSIA - THE number of women cheating on their husbands is on the rise.

Leading syarie lawyer Datuk Mohd Zaidi Zain said he handled 80 to 100 divorce cases monthly and 70 per cent of them involved women cheating on their husbands.

The main reason for this, he said, was revenge.

"Women are now fighting for equality. Whatever the men do, they also want to do. So when the men cheat, the women exact revenge.

"Women sometimes also take revenge because their husbands do not fulfil their responsibilities as husbands and fathers."

Zaidi said infidelity also took place when husbands spent too much time on hobbies such as golf.

Sometimes it happens because of problems with the in-laws.

"When women do not have support at home, they tend to look elsewhere for love and care. Sometimes it is also because the men restrict the freedom of their wives. This causes them to venture out on their own to look for fun. This can lead to extra-marital affairs."

Zaidi said in his 15 years' in practice, he has seen an increase in the number of women cheating on their husbands.

It is also easier now to discover affairs, he said, because of social networking sites such as Facebook, handphones and emails.

"Incriminating pictures could be put up anytime, anywhere, by anyone. You can no longer hide."

Zaidi said cheating is on the rise because married couples lack knowledge about their responsibilities, especially religious ones.

"All religions teach us about sustaining a marriage and keeping a family together. When such knowledge is lacking, then cheating occurs. There are many challenges out there and if you do not have internal strength, you will fall."

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