In the past, during the era of slavery in the Muslim world , harems also housed enslaved concubines. In former times, some harems were guarded by eunuchs who were allowed inside. The structure of the harem and the extent of monogamy or polygyny have varied depending on the family's personalities, socio-economic status, and local customs.
Although the institution has experienced a sharp decline in the modern era due to a rise in education and economic opportunities for women, as well as the influence of Western culture , the seclusion of women is still practiced in some parts of the world, such as rural Afghanistan and conservative states of the Persian Gulf.
In the West, the harem, often depicted as a hidden world of sexual subjugation where numerous women lounged in suggestive poses, has influenced many paintings, stage productions, films and literary works. The word has been recorded in the English language since the early 17th century. In English the term harem can mean also "the wives or concubines of a polygamous man. In the Ottoman Turkish language , the harem, i. The practice of female seclusion is not exclusive to Islam, but the English word harem usually denotes the domestic space reserved for women in Muslim households.
Leila Ahmed describes the ideal of seclusion as "a man's right to keep his women concealed—invisible to other men. Women were not supposed to be seen in public. They were guarded by eunuchs and could only leave the home "veiled and suitably chaperoned. The ideal of seclusion was not fully realized as social reality. This was in part because working-class women often held jobs that required interaction with men.
At times women lent and invested money, and engaged in other commercial activities. Female seclusion has historically signaled social and economic prestige. Where historical evidence is available, it indicates that the harem was much more likely to be monogamous.
