Open Marriages: Is Communication the Simple Solution?

With statistics revealing more than 50 percent of all American households are occupied by unmarried individuals, the institution of marriage may truly be a concept of the past.   For those couples working to hold onto the vows and committments made in marriage, the concept of an "open" marriage may be the new trend in averting divorce.   The following is a review of the history and concept behind open marriage in addition to key factors which lead to its success.

The term "open marriages" was first coined in the 1960s and, interesting enough, described an individual who was at liberty to choose his or her own marraige partner.  With the passage of time, the concept of "open marriage" has transformed into a concept in which individuals agree to the legal union of marriage but may be permitted to develop a variety of relationships, both physical as well as emotional, outside of the marriage. Statistically, it is believed that anywhere from one percent to six percent of all marriages are considered "open" meaning non-monogamous and, with this concept, may improve the divorce rate over the next decade.   But, what about monogamy?