How 'wife snatching' swinging trend could be a worrying red flag about your relationship

It might seem like harmless fun, but a new trend in the world of swinging could cause deeper problems in your relationship.

Hamstering, hotwifing, soft-swapping - there are many new kinks on the go, both in and out of the bedroom.

While fantasies are all well and good, all too often couples find that what sounded like a hot idea in theory can have far-reaching repercussions in their relationship if actually acted out.

Have you heard of 'wife snatching', sometimes also known as 'wife poaching'?

It can be a complication in the average wife-swapping or swinging scenario, where things go awry fast.

A couple can be talking to someone else about getting involved, but then it turns out they only want to 'entertain' the wife, if you catch our drift...

Wife-swapping isn't without some peril, according to experts (Getty Stock)

The poor husband is left out, and it can cause a world of pain if couples aren't careful or choosy about who they swing with.

One expert in the scene, posting as VistaWife, shared the perils of 'wife snatching': "If you’ve started a group chat and all the attention and messages are directed to the woman of the couple,” she said. “That could be a tiny little indicator that something’s not quite right.”

However, it sometimes occurs once the group has already started to get down and dirty, with the expert advising the use of 'codewords' to your partner to 'stop playing'.

Psychologists believe that if one half of the couple actually wants the wife to be 'stolen' while her other half is left out, similar to cuckolding, it can be a sign of deeper issues.

Gurit E Birnbaum and Yaniv Kanat-Maymon published research into fantasies that can do more harm than good.

They found that fantasies about "wife snatching" or other sexual fantasies can arise from an underlying dissatisfaction within the relationship.

The irony is that swinging, especially when one-sided, such as 'wife-snatching', can then make this dissatisfaction worse if the husband is then left feeling unwanted.

Swinging website Vanilla Swingers warns: "In the swinging world, 'wife poaching' is a serious faux pas. It’s when someone tries to lure your wife away for solo play or, worse, into a full-on affair."

It might seem like harmless fun, but communication is key if you don't want a relationship to fall apart (Getty Stock)

They advise: "Swinging should enhance your relationship, not threaten it. If you suspect someone’s trying to poach your partner, address it directly and set firm boundaries. Trust and respect are non-negotiable."

According to sex advice website VXN, jealousy and insecurity can be major challenges in any wife-swapping scenario or in polyamorous relationships.

They stress that couples must be willing to address these issues head-on before they cause wider problems,

Another issue is whether emotional attachments are formed rather than just physical.

If it was supposed to just be a fun fling with no strings attached, but the wife falls for the other partner, it can cause major upheaval.

Experts advise again that communication is key, and couples must be clear about their boundaries and expectations.