Keeping Tabs: People are Spying on Their Partners, But Should They?

The heartache of being cheated on is devastating.

The idea that a romantic partner is secretly giving their love to another man or woman is enough to drive a person to depression, violence, even arson.

This is a big part of the reason people are so curious about their significant other: they want to know without a doubt that they are being faithful.

Some argue that acting on this curiosity by checking your partner's email inbox, phone records, and personal belongings is a violation of trust. Others believe that if you are in a romantic relationship, you should have nothing to hide. Research shows, however, that people are doing this kind of snooping relatively often.

Statistics on Relationship Spying

In a 2013 piece from The Telegraph, Sophie Curtis reported that over one-third of U.K. women admitted they had looked through a partner or ex's mobile phone without them knowing. Interestingly, almost double the amount of men, 62%, admitted the same.

Surveys in the United States paint a similar picture: research indicates that one out of every three American adults believes that it is fine to go through a significant other's phone and email inbox if they suspect them of wrongdoing.

Is it Right to Spy?

Opinion varies widely on whether or not relationship spying is a good idea. A recent CNN article asked for opinions from several men and women about spying. Some said that a relationship so deficient in trust that a partner needed to spy on their significant other is one that is doomed whether anyone is cheating or not.

Leslie Yazel, executive editor of the prominent women's magazine Cosmopolitan, said in the report that if your gut is telling you something about your partner and you are not satisfied with their response, it is probably okay to investigate further.

Whether or not you believe spying is right, it's clear that some people think it's fine and some people consider it a violation of trust.

What is not up for debate is the fact that cheating and spying on a significant other are both very serious matters. Additionally, if you decide to spy on your mate, there could be serious legal consequences. In 2010, a 33-year-old Michigan computer technician named Leon Walker received five felony charges for logging into his wife's email account to confirm suspicions of an affair.

Instead of Spying, Hire a Private Investigator in Orange County

If you live in southern California and are curious about what your romantic partner is doing, discretion is very important. It's always best to find out directly from the other person that an affair is going on, but this doesn't happen often. If you can't get answers from your partner, you still need to know about it. This is especially true for those who are married, since spouses have shared marital assets that are divided if they divorce.

A private investigator is the perfect way to discreetly find out whether or not your husband, wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend is being unfaithful. A quality private investigator has years of experience with surveillance services, evidence collecting, and other investigative tactics that can help you prove whether or not your lover is having an affair. Licensed, upstanding private investigators also know the laws regarding surveillance and will help keep you out of trouble if you decide to look into the records of your loved ones.

Hiring a private investigator is a wise decision if you want to get to the bottom of relationship suspicions without tipping the other person off or getting yourself in legal trouble.