[10] The 2022 General Social Survey found that of Americans engaging in extramarital sex, 50% identified as Protestant and 16% as Catholic.
As a death penalty offence, two witnesses of good character had to testify in court for the case to be even considered by the judges against either or both the male and female.
(Deuteronomy 19:15, and Mishnah Sanhedrin c.4) Any physical punishments for any offences (sins) were in effect at the times of Judges and the Holy Temple.
In rabbinic Judaism, any physical punishment is prohibited by Judaism—as no proper judicial process can be provided until the Holy Temple is rebuilt by the Messiah.
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (eunuchs and homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
— 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (Latin Vulgate): Accordingly, a Catholic wedding strictly teaches that a husband and wife publicly promise fidelity to each other until death, which is the sole reason for the dissolution of a Sacramental Marriage.
Consequentially, both Adultery and Divorce contradicts this nuptial promise by breach made to the covenant of Holy Mother Church.
[17] In contrast, some select modernist Protestant denominations, such as the Episcopalian sect today hold liberal and progressive views on extramarital sex and relations, adhering to their own personal interpretations of the Holy Bible and its relevancy to modern lifestyles.
Traditional interpretations of Islamic law (or Sharia) prescribe severe punishments for zina, or extramarital sex, by both men and women.
The act of sexual penetration must, however, be attested by at least four male Muslim witnesses of good character, the accused has a right to testify in court, the suspect's word or testimony is required to hold the most weight in the eyes of the judge(s), punishments are reserved to the legal authorities and the law states that false accusations are to be punished severely.
[18] The former regulations also make some Muslims believe, that the process's goal was to eventually abolish the physical penalties relating to acts of fornication and adultery that were already present within many societies around the world when Islamic teachings first arose.
[20] According to the Hindu Dharmashastra texts, any sexual act outside of the accepted marriage, including physical, mental, and emotional adultery, are denounced.
[22] Extramarital sex is illegal in some Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,[23] Afghanistan,[24][25][26] Egypt,[27] Iran,[26] Kuwait,[28] Maldives,[29] Morocco,[30] Oman,[31] Mauritania,[32] United Arab Emirates,[33][34] Qatar,[35] Sudan,[36] and Yemen.
Of these factors, moral standards and fundamental anxieties are more likely to accurately gauge a spouse not pursuing extramarital sex.