CNN.com - Net blamed for marital breakups - April 15, 2002

Net blamed for marital breakups


LONDON, England --The Internet is becoming a frequent cause of the collapse of relationships, a leading marriage guidance organisation has warned.
One in 10 of the 90,000 couples who seek the help of UK-based Relate now cite the Internet as a problem, with obsessive use of the medium blamed as well as its ability as a communication tool.
Both men and women complain of becoming Internet "widows" as their partners spend hours at the computer downloading software or looking at pornography.
Sex chatlines and sites such as friendsreunited.co.uk, which can rekindle old school passions, pose further threats to relationships.
Relate's chief executive Angela Sibson told The Times newspaper on Monday: "Our counsellors report that, more and more, the Internet is a relationship breaker."