Non-Monogamy

Polyamory and Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM) Statistics

Polyamory is one form of Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM), a relationship structure where all partners agree that they can have romantic, emotional, and/or sexual relationships with other people.

Relationship Quality and Satisfaction:

Satisfaction: Individuals in non-monogamous relationships report levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction that are comparable to those in monogamous relationships.

Commitment and Trust: One study found that sexual minority men with monogamous agreements reported higher commitment and satisfaction than those with non-monogamous agreements.

Non-monogamy Contracts and Agreements (Post-Separation/Divorce) with shared living

The concept of a “sexual contract” or agreement is central to all forms of CNM, but it is not typically a formal legal agreement used by divorced couples. Instead, the focus is on a negotiated relationship agreement between partners.

Types of Agreements:

In CNM relationships, agreements are often explicitly negotiated and sometimes written down. A common agreement among CNM participants is to have sex and romantic relationships with whomever they want, as long as there are no secrets.

Stability of Non-Monogamous Marriages:

There are no widely-validated, specific statistics on the success of sexual agreements between divorced couples. However, research on the stability of marriages that become non-monogamous is limited and has mixed results:

• Controversial Claim (Unverified): An often-cited, but unverified claim suggests that 92% of open marriages end in divorce. This statistic is frequently repeated in articles but lacks a verifiable source study.
• Small Study: One small, non-statistically significant study over five years found that couples in open relationships had a separation rate of 32%, compared to 18% for a monogamous control group.

With an increase in separated couples living together, conscious uncoupling is also a new form of relationship needing monogamy agreements.