Indonesian Residents Increasingly Cohabiting, This Region Has the Most
Indonesian residents are increasingly engaging in cohabitation, or ‘kumpul kebo’—the phenomenon where unmarried couples live together—a trend that has gained prominence across the country, including among civil servants (ASN).
Previously, The Conversation reported that this phenomenon stems from shifting perspectives on relationships and marriage. Nowadays, many young people view marriage as a normative institution burdened with complicated regulations. Consequently, they see ‘kumpul kebo’ as a purer form of relationship and a genuine expression of love. In Asian regions that uphold culture, traditions, and religion, ‘kumpul kebo’ remains taboo. When it occurs, it is typically short-lived and regarded as a preliminary step towards marriage.
In Indonesia, a 2021 study titled The Untold Story of Cohabitation revealed that cohabitation is more prevalent in eastern regions where the majority of the population is non-Muslim.
According to young researcher Yulinda Nurul Aini from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), there are at least three reasons why couples in Manado—the site of her study—choose to cohabit. These include financial burdens, overly complicated divorce procedures, and social acceptance.
“My analysis of data from the 2021 Family Data Collection (PK21) by the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) shows that 0.6% of Manado city’s population in North Sulawesi engages in cohabitation,” Yulinda stated recently.
“Among the total cohabiting couples, 1.9% were pregnant at the time of the survey, 24.3% were under 30 years old, 83.7% had high school education or lower, 11.6% were unemployed, and 53.5% worked informally,” she added.
Consequences of Cohabitation
Yulinda noted that the parties most negatively affected by ‘kumpul kebo’ are women and children. Economically, there is no guarantee of financial security for children and mothers, as provided under divorce laws. In cohabitation, fathers have no legal obligation to provide financial support in the form of maintenance.
“When cohabiting couples separate, there is no regulatory framework governing asset and financial division, alimony, inheritance rights, child custody determination, and other issues,” Yulinda explained.
From a health perspective, cohabitation can reduce life satisfaction and lead to mental health problems. Several causes of these negative impacts include low commitment and trust in the partner, as well as uncertainty about the future.
According to PK21 data, 69.1% of cohabiting couples experience conflicts in the form of arguments, 0.62% face more serious conflicts such as sleeping separately or living apart, and 0.26% experience domestic violence (KDRT).
Furthermore, children born from cohabiting relationships are more likely to face developmental, health, and emotional disturbances.
“Children may experience identity confusion and feelings of non-recognition due to stigma and discrimination against their status as ‘illegitimate children’, even from family members,” said Yulinda.
“This makes it difficult for them to position themselves within the family and society at large,” she elaborated.