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Originally Posted by Strange Famous
I think a lot of people feel its politically incorrect, or sexist, or condescending, or just don't want to come out and say it... but the fact is, at least where Im from and how I was brouight up.. men don't hit women. Period. Of course, I might meet a woman who was stronger or tougher than me; I'm not much of a fighter myself... but for me part of being a man is that I wouldnt hit a women. And if I witnessed a man hitting a women, regardless of context, I would consider myself quite likely to expound reasonable force to prevent that.
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I think this machismo viewpoint has some serious flaws in it. One quarter of all spousal homocides have male victims. (Stats Can., 2004) I think this speaks a lot for how a macho attitude leads to underreporting of spouse abuse against men. Women are more likely to engage in verbal abuse rather than physical abuse, and a guy will be expected to "take it like a man" when he gets berated. I think it's great to have guys not hitting women. I think it's even better if women don't hit men.
Our society's traditional beliefs put women on a pedestal, objects to be admired, protected, but seen as easily breakable and of lesser importance. It's this attitude that allows for abuse behind closed doors and demeans equality of the sexes.
Edit: Hektore, you expressed a complex truth very elegantly. Nicely done.