Does absence of evidence mean evidence of absence? Managing the issue of partner surveillance in infidelity treatment

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

Sexual and Relationship Therapy

Volume

32

Issue

2018-03-04

First page number:

323

Last page number:

333

Abstract

One issue that has risen to prominence in couple work is the development of a relationship via technology and new media with people outside of the primary couple relationship. As this issue becomes more prevalent, couples struggle with the development of rebuilding trust. Despite the previous instances of infidelity, the development of trust is also compromised by the ability to trust what is presently occurring in the relationship. The partner who has been betrayed often continues to check the involved partner's devices for evidence of a continuation of the affair. Such checking and surveillance often result in obsessive checking of such devices and the assertion that the involved partner can no longer be trusted, reasoning that the involved partner must be deleting evidence. This positioning about surveillance can compromise the ability to move forward with couple therapy. The purpose of this paper is to outline how to work with couples with this level of surveillance after an affair. © 2017 College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists.

Language

english

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