I know your automatic reaction will be to interpret this as if I were saying that a woman is the complete property of a man, his slave, that he can do whatever he likes to, and you will then react to that highly negatively! So I first need to clarify that I'm not thinking whatever you're thinking I'm thinking, so we can start from blank slate!
I am simply referring to the social aspect: which woman is known to be assigned to which man. How this is achieved varies enormously between cultures, in the West that is a decision of the man and woman themselves, obviously in other cultures that can be through a sale/purchase agreement, but the detail is not what I'm talking about. I mean that one way or another, an understanding is reached whereby the man can say "this is my woman" and the woman can say "this is my man".
"Ownership" is not the best word for this, and
@The Revolting Man was right to query that. "Possession" is closer. Because what I am really meaning is "which woman actually goes home with that man" or considers herself to be his.
To clarify what I mean by "possession", and why it is a useful concept to consider:
- A man sleeps with a prostitute, becoming one flesh with her. But he doesn't take her home. He can't just sleep with her again, he has to pay. She is not his woman - he cannot say "this is my woman". Prostitution is "one flesh" but without "possession".
- A betrothed woman is assigned to a particular man. In some cultures money may have changed hands to seal this deal, but even if not, she is culturally understood to be assigned to that man. He can say "this is my woman", and she can say "this is my man", even though they have not slept together yet. Possession without one flesh.
Now, there might be a more accurate word to use for that concept than "possession", feel free to suggest a better one. I would actually appreciate finding a suitable word for this concept that would not cause the negative reactions that "ownership" does!