Last month, hackers made good on their promise to release information about the users of the Ashley Madison website. The site had been established in an effort to help people discreetly connect with others who wanted to have an affair. The data included details about credit cards, email addresses as well as any photos that the user may have uploaded to his or her account.
The site, at its peak, had nearly 40 million registered users from across the globe, from all walks of life. Once the information was revealed, it was possible for anyone to check the data to see if his or her spouse was included as someone who had an Ashley Madison account.
For some couples, this led to extremely challenging conversations. While having an account with the site did not necessarily mean that an affair had taken place, it did mean that the user was at least willing to possibly consider one. If this was not something that the couple had discussed previously, it left many spouses feeling as though their trust had been violated.
After this information was made public, those who found their spouses on the list had a tough decision to make. Did they want to continue with their relationships, or, was it time to end the marriage? More and more couples decided to at least contemplate filing for divorce because of the Ashley Madison data breach.
What you should do if you have been impacted by the release of information
If your spouse had an Ashley Madison account, or you yourself used the website, you need to be sure that you are prepared for what may happen next. Each couple will respond differently to the crisis, and unfortunately, you and your spouse may not be able to withstand these difficult events.
You should speak to an experienced divorce attorney to ensure that you understand all of the options that are available to you. In the event that divorce becomes likely, you need to be sure that you have done everything you can to protect yourself during this process.
An attorney from the Contreras Law Firm will be able to help you take the necessary steps to prepare for your divorce. Throughout the proceedings, they will be able to offer you advice and insight about your case. When you need to make difficult choices, they will be able to help you make the right choice for your specific situation.Â