Half the world’s women have a back-up man – study shows

Simone Morgan-Lindo

Some men may have to look over their shoulders because their partners may have a close 'friend' who could easily replace them.

According to a Daily Mail article, a survey conducted by onepoll.com suggested that 50 per cent of the world's women have a fallback man in case they end up single.

The article also stated that married women are more likely to have a 'Plan B' than women in other relationships.

The back-up is likely to be an old friend who has always had feelings for them or an ex-boyfriend/husband, colleague or gym buddy.

The survey of 1,000 women also found the Plan B is also likely to be someone whom she has known for around seven years.

Sex educator Shelly-Ann Weeks said that she is not surprised by these findings, and doubted women look at it as a back-up plan.

"The thing is that the man that they have cannot fulfil all their needs, so they get their needs sorted out by other men. For example, a woman may have a special male friend that she can talk to on a more intimate level than her husband/boyfriend, and if things are not going right with their partner, it is easy to convert that other friendship into a full-blown relationship," she said.

The findings also showed that at least one in four females has a back-up man for whom they have very strong feelings.

In fact, 12 per cent even admitted that their feelings were stronger for their 'little friend' than their current partner. According to Weeks, such happenings are not usually deliberate or planned.

"A lot of times we take our significant other for granted and sometimes a man will not realise that he is not meeting her needs and because the woman have this other guy, she doesn't say anything to him about it so they eventually drift apart," she said.

Social media commentator Marlon Campbell said the Plan B man may be filling an emotional void rather than a sexual one.

"I am not surprised at all because he (Plan B) is just human to fill a spot or void," he said. "I am sure that 50 per cent of men have a back-up plan as well and it speaks on being human, and if they have to get the happiness that they are seeking in fractions and pieces, then a just suh it guh," he said.