Is having control over women the only way a man can have self-respect? Wow. Well, that does explain a lot, if nothing else.
A man whose wife has been allowed to weaponize her unleashed sexuality (b/c society has removed all previously established injunctions and sanctions, incl. social shunning, shaming, and the pillory), and who in fact receives covering fire from society at large ("You go girl!" "You spend your 20s and early 30s 'finding yourself!'" "You have as many bastard children as you want!" "You freeze your eggs, if need be!", "No worries! Daddy State will subsidize your profligate lifestyle!", etc.), and who can expect to be drawn and quartered by the divorce courts - cannot have self-respect.
An as-yet unmarried man, faced with these prospects / with this bizarre sociological and cultural landscape - might well decide to instead retreat (rather than abandoning his self-respect).
Regards,