What Are Marital Rights?
Marital rights is a term that refers to the entitlements of a husband. In Christian-based marriages, a husband generally has the right to have sex with his wife and to act as head of the household. The term marital rights is not generally used to address any entitlements that a woman may have as a result of being married.
Marriage is often referred to as a contract. If historical examples are studied, it may become apparent how similar marriage was to a business arrangement. In many present day cultures, this similarity still exists. Throughout history, the union of a man and woman has often been surrounded by material exchanges and the negotiation of entitlements of the parties.
Once a man marries a woman, he is generally entitled to a minimum of two things. The first of his marital rights entitles him to have sex with his wife. The frequency and the timing can be subject to dispute. The need for procreation is believed to be the original reasoning for granting this entitlement to men.
In many instances, men's exercising of this right has led to marital rape. Marital rape is now widely condemned, and in some countries it is a crime. This crime did not always exist, however. In some countries, there still are no charges to be brought for what is known as marital rape.
The second of a man's marital rights is the authority to control the affairs of his household. This right is believed to be based on the superior status that the Bible grants to men. It is further believed that such an arrangement was needed to ensure cooperation. In many societies, life is structured so that power struggles could be chaotic and problematic. They could lead to serious problems, such as the starvation of a tribe.
Marital rights still exist in many Christian cultures. They do not generally play as prominent of a role as they have in times past. This may not be the case in Islamic societies.
Marital rights in Islamic countries tend to be more complex than those in Christian countries. Islamic marriages also grant men the rights to have sex with their wives and to be leaders of their families. In many cases, however, men receive numerous additional rights. For example, a man may be entitled to exclusive access of certain property. This can include his wife, meaning that she is forbidden from having sexual relations with another man.
Written by Felicia Dye
