Poll: Striking a woman

[h@wke]

I reckon the acceptability of hitting anyone of any gender is compleley dependant on context, when it comes to women in particular however I think (especially if you're trained) that the probable weight difference should be taken into account.

As for your own actions I don't see a problem. I wouldn't have got involved unless there was an actuall assault going on but that doesn't mean your concern was unwarrented and in both cases they began the physical coflict.

 

[Abomination]

I am a bit sexist in that I will at first strike with an open palm against a woman in order to deliver a message, if she continues it will be a closed fist.

Men do not get the open palm treatment.

 

[MetalMagpie]

I don't think striking anyone is acceptable! (Except in self-defence.)

To answer the (perhaps) obvious question: yes, that means I don't advocate hitting children either.

 

[Dimitriov]

As a guy I said "Only when facing obvious lethal danger." That was the closest option available to what I actually follow, just modify "lethal" to "physical."

It's pretty much the same as my rule for dealing with other guys. I guess I would hit someone if I could not subdue them less forcefully? Honestly, the fact is most women are a lot smaller and weaker than I am, so I would be less likely to ever actually need to resort to hitting a girl when I could just hold her wrists or something.

But that being said, there ARE reasons to hit another man that I consider completely legitimate, but that do not necessarily involve imminent danger to myself or others. But I would not apply those standards to a girl.

I am afraid that's the simple truth.

 

[Olas]

To be honest, and I know this is a horrible reason, but I'm probably less likely to strike a guy than a girl simply because a guy is more likely to strike me back and probably will do so harder. So basically I'm a sexist coward.

However I don't think I've ever hit a girl before (except maybe my sister) and I've been in several fights with guys.

Show us how it's done Nicolas Cage

 

[Kaymish]

given select circumstances its ok women are still people and its ok to hit a woman only when its ok to hit anyone else anything else is a bit sexsist also there is no "F: no" in your poll

 

[Kipiru]

There shouldn't be a difference. One should hit a female in the same circumstance as a male, only as a last resort in a struggle.

 

[RyQ_TMC]

Why should there be a difference between punching a girl and punching a boy?

I think it's purely statistical. Since men are on average larger than women, there will be less situations which justify a guy punching a girl than the other way around. In a confrontation between a girl and a guy, on a statistical level, he will be more able to contain the situation without resorting to hitting, since he has a physical advantage.

That is not to say that the opposite doesn't happen. But, to throw a random number into the air, for every 5 situations where it's justifiable for a woman to use violence as a means of defense, there's only 1 where it's justifiable for a guy.

To the OP: We might have received wildly different martial arts training, but I can think of less violent ways of resolving the situation than "leaving him on the ground gasping for air".

EDIT: Just remembered a situation I was in a long time ago. I was once jumped at by a girl and, through a completely instinctive reaction, knocked two of her teeth out. Literally all I did was brace myself for defense and she hit my extended shoulder. I don't think anyone would even fault me for that, but back then, I was almost lynched - by a proper mob, they were even armed with tools and farming equipment. The "never hit a girl" rule is heavily grounded in society and I'd wager that's why you feel like crap, OP.

 

[Insanity72]

I cast my vote as "M:Only when facing obvious lethal danger", but I do not think what you did to her was wrong in anyway, she was attacking you and you needed to defend yourself. However, I think a better way to have gone about it would have been to grab her arms and restrain her, if she was kicking, sweep her off her feet, but keep holding her arms so that she didn't smack into the ground.

 

[Colour Scientist]

The poll doesn't really represent my views either.

"Obvious lethal danger" is a bit of a jump from a yes/no answer. If a man/woman is attacking you, defend yourself as much as you need to.
Note the word need. If you don't NEED to hit him/her to defend yourself then don't. I don't think that story happened the way you're saying it happened but if you're as super at martial arts as you're making out to be, it sounds like you could have just restrained her.

From the sounds of the story, you stuck your nose in some couple's fight and just ended up hitting both of them. What did you think was going to happen after you intervened?

 

[Phasmal]

We certainly haven't had this thread a thousand times.

I'll say what I say in every one of them.
`I don't think hitting a person of either gender is acceptable except if it is absolutely necessary. And now I will get out of this thread before the pent up dudes who get really excited about the idea of smacking women come along`.

 

[Subscriptism]

If a woman hit me, I would hit her back. If the modern world really is one of equal rights then she better not expect to get away with hitting me where a man would not. That is unless I really deserved it, then I'd let her get on with it.

 

[Dragoon]

If someone hits me I'll hit em back no matter the gender. Equality and all that jazz.

 

[AngloDoom]

In an ideal world, you wouldn't hit someone. That said, if you would hit a man for a certain action, then it's only fair to hit a woman for the same thing. I really don't see why some people have such a dilemma over it.

 

[ThisGuyLikesNoTacos]

In your particular case hitting the girl was acceptable, because your motives were not to hurt her but to calm her down. Your interception was a good thing, but sometimes even the right actions end up in the wrong results.

 

[prophecy2514]

its fine in self defence, regardless of gender

nuff said

 

[Shoggoth2588]

In that context, I know a lot of people would say you were 100% in the right. The problem is, (and I would have done what you did by the way) it does...kind of...feel wrong. I'm just going to blame it on the stigma associated with hitting women in general.

Speaking in general I think the best rule of thumb is to not hit people in general but this is basic stuff and obvious. Also for a final note: spanking and hitting in the context of being kinky is A-OK so long as there is consent. Once again: obvious.

 

[Colour Scientist]

We certainly haven't had this thread a thousand times.

I'll say what I say in every one of them.
`I don't think hitting a person of either gender is acceptable except if it is absolutely necessary. And now I will get out of this thread before the pent up dudes who get really excited about the idea of smacking women come along`.

You put it better than I did.
I'm surprised the 'If they want equality, I have to be able to punch them in the face' crowd haven't shown up yet.

 

[Thyunda]

If in the same situation you'd have hit a guy, then yeah, it's acceptable. If they want to play rough, then you're obliged to indulge them.

However, I think I've been conditioned too long now to actually practice what I preach. Beyond grabbing her wrists and subduing her without hurting her, I don't think I'd really do anything. Thinking about it now - they have such pretty faces. They don't look like they were made to take punches like a man's face, where a broken nose just makes him look mean rather than ugly.

See, Escapist, now you've made me cycle through a montage of punching girls in the face. Why?

 

[Baldry]

You hit her because she was being crazy and attacking you not because you hate women, you're in the right. It's okay to hit someone in self defence or because they're being violent/aggressive/an ass it's wrong when you hit them only because they're a man/woman/black/white/etc' etc'.