Melbourne might be onto something when it comes to relationship structures, with Australia topping new global research on openness to non-monogamy.
Dragon Toys, a London-based adult toy retailer, analysed 17 countries to figure out which nations are most open to non-monogamous relationships and, Melbourne, our wonderful Australian nation, came out on top with an Open Love Score of 75.61, beating out New Zealand at 65.60 and Canada at 65.59.
CEO Emily Conway reckons the findings reflect shifting attitudes towards relationships globally, with people increasingly willing to explore what works for them rather than sticking to traditional models.
Researchers crunched numbers across multiple metrics including Pornhub category rankings, average lifetime sexual partners, search interest in open relationship terms, divorce rates and moral sexuality scores. Data spanned 2023 to 2025 to capture changing trends. Australians reported an average of 13.3 sexual partners in their lifetime, the highest among all countries studied, and showed the strongest search rate at 257.17 searches per 100,000 people for open relationship and polyamory terms.
Open relationships study findings
- What: Global study on openness to non-monogamous relationships
- Countries analysed: 17
- Metrics: Pornhub category rankings, average lifetime sexual partners, search interest, divorce rates, moral sexuality scores
- Top three: Australia (75.61), New Zealand (65.60), Canada (65.59)
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Conway says Australia’s high ranking reflects a culture that’s generally more relaxed about sexuality and relationships, which also translates to the dating culture in Melbourne. The combination of high search interest and sexual openness suggests Australians are actively exploring and discussing non-traditional relationship models rather than just thinking about them.
Interestingly, search interest in Australia actually declined by 7.12 per cent year-over-year. Conway reckons this doesn’t mean people are losing interest, but rather that these relationship models might be becoming more mainstream and less of a novelty to research. Most countries in the study showed declining search trends, with the notable exception of South Africa where interest surged by nearly 37 per cent.
Nordic countries dominated the top 10, with Norway, Sweden and Denmark all making appearances. Ireland landed at number five despite a massive 28.04 per cent drop in search interest, while the UK came in at number eight. Belgium and South Africa rounded out the top 10.
Conway points out that openness to non-monogamous relationships seems linked to cultural attitudes, legal frameworks and social acceptance. Countries with higher moral sexuality scores tend to have fewer restrictions around sexual freedom, which naturally extends to relationship choices. Places where people can discuss sexuality openly without stigma show more willingness to explore alternatives to traditional monogamy.
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