Originally Posted by FXASHUN

Is this discussion limited to only hetero domestic situations? Homosexual relationships have domestic violence issues as well.
Same-sex domestic violence. Fighting abuse in the GLBT community.

It seems any romantic human interaction also has its "issues".

But anyway...Why is the man always blamed in domestic situations? I'm 6'6' and I have had more than a couple female gnats (size comparison only) run up at me as if they dared me to knock their block off. Men have a tendency to be aggressive and we all know that. But women also have a tendency to think that they can take some liberties because a man "isn't supposed to hit a girl". Bull.

My mom taught me that anyone who can pass a lick has opened themselves up to receive one. She taught me never to hit a girl in anger, but not to stand there like a dumas either. Leviathon is right. The punishment for physical abuse should be equal. If it is determined that a woman is an aggressor and starts a fight, why shouldn't she be charged with a felony. It might be a deterrent, because the next time the guy might rip her head off.

Originally Posted by Viv

I notice you have all studiously avoided commenting on the Sean Connery video and the comments he makes therein...

Originally Posted by Skeletom182

Physical violence is always more easy to commit in more traditional patriarchal societies (Middle East, Africa, some part of Asia, etc.). In those regions they are treated as second class citizens. However, it is mediated in some areas through an informal council of women. Therefore, if a woman is abused, she can tell the other women who in turn tell their husbands who in turn take up the problem with the offending man or bring him before the local justice. However, there is no guarantee for justice for the abused woman since in a patriarchal society the laws are usually biased in favor of the man.

In matriarchal societies (which are almost gone from the world) such as many traditional Native American Tribes, there is a council of women and the women usually control the agricultural areas while the domain of the men was the wilderness. The men have a council as well but most of the tribes production flows from the agricultural area which is controlled by the women. In these societies, when a man abuses his wife, she informs the council of women. Then when the man returns home from hunting or whatever, he finds all of his belongings sitting outside his house. He then would have to move back into the lodge where all the unmarried young men stayed. There, he would be taunted and ridiculed. Also, he would have to deal with ostracism from most of the tribe and provide for himself in many ways by performing women's work which resulted in even more taunting from other men.

What we have today imo is somewhat imbalanced through isolated nuclear families. When either sex has few ways to release agitation or stress, bad things tend to happen. The woman expresses her discontent by continuously bringing up things which the man doesn't like and thereby increasing stress or by going out to areas such as bars where there are other men. The man's stress builds and releases it through abusing her either verbally of physically. By the time the police step in the worst damage has already been done. In some cases, the abused woman never speaks or reports it due to shame. Her anxiety builds and builds until in her mind the only escape is murder.

Therefore, whether the police should be involved or not, I think depends on the context. Does the husband and wife have a nearby extended family? Is there someone else the woman can turn to for protection other than the police. If there is only the police, the woman usually makes the mistake of thinking that he'll get better and he promised me he'd never do it again, and so forth and so on. I think women make these bad decisions due to their isolation and because they generally have no one else to confide in.

Originally Posted by Viv

Women will never have it both ways.

There can never be equality in physical strength. Nor will they ever equal men in aggression.

Therefore, women will always require greater protection in law than men.

Originally Posted by Viv

The article below deals with domestic violence. This sub always has a high profile at this time of year due to the rise in instances which occurs when people are confined together over the festive season. Alcohol, debt problems, etc etc all play a part.

I have found there are different takes on this issue depending on the gender of the speaker, so would like to hear how posters view it.

I have kept the poll private, to encourage honesty.

If anyone has an option they'd like to include in the poll options, please post.

Originally Posted by Viv

In his latter post, Levi didn't say the punishment should be equal.

Don't you think that with greater power comes greater responsibility?