I dont know if it was men overall that kept them in check but those "societal mechanisms" that were mentioned. In early tribal culture, the men were responsible for hunting and the women responsible for the domestic duties like cooking and sewing. This order where the men and women act as complements was the norm until the last several decades. Although the sexual revolution made important advances regarding freedoms, it equated liberation with sexuality. Women's liberation slowly became about doing whatever a woman wants, whenever they want, and without consequence.   Consumerism also caters to women's materialism and preys on a man's wallet. Although women have always been the same, this combination of new technologies, consumerism, and sexual liberation has allowed women to get around like the world is ending next week. And without the presence of societal checks and even things like slut-shaming, women can be as shady as they want.  The marriage issue is compounded by the atrocity of the divorce/alimony/child support laws where women can legally embezzle men but lets not go there.