Concubinage

From ArticleWorld

Concubinage occurs when a couple lives together under the same roof as lovers. There is no permanent obligation to this union.

Different meanings

The term concubinage varies by culture and region. For instance:

• In countries that allow slavery, concubinage refers to sexual relationships between a slave and his or her owners. This is also called sexual slavery.

• In English, it is often called living together, shacking up or cohabitation. Typically, it implies monogamy. In these cases, the word mistress is used to refer to a woman who engages in a continuing sexual relationship with a married man. The act of cohabitation is common today in Western societies (although it was, once, shunned and even illegal). Some, in these cultures, call concubinage “college marriage.”

• In France, it is the official term used to describe the cohabitation of homosexual and heterosexual couples. It allows for some of the benefits of married couples to apply to a couple in concubinage.

• In jurisdictions that allow common law marriage, partners may eventually become common-law spouses.

Concubinage, over the course of history, has frequently been voluntary since it allowed the woman a sense of economic security. Involuntary concubinage is considered sexual slavery.

Concubine

The word concubine is typically used to indicate a relationship where the male is the dominating partner. The male may have more than one wife, as demonstrated by some Middle Eastern and East Asian rulers throughout history.

A concubine can also be defined as a woman who is with a man for solely reproductive reasons with no romantic relationship. She cares for the resulting children, but the father may have a wife or other lovers.