Saturday 2 March 2013

Men shouldn't hit women.. if they want to fight...

Maybe they should sign up..and go to war.

Out and about, I thought about domestic violence.. partly based on a conversation I had recently.
I've found that the reaction towards domestic violence perpetrated by men on women, is often met with a mixed reaction among men, but with women, just the thought of it usually precedes one simple word. " Bastard".
Whenever the topic has come up with men, some have said things like..
'Well you know what some women are like..'
'She must have asked for it..'
'Probably up in his face..' and on and on
To be fair, some have said.. 'not a real man' .. etc.

Power and sex are closely linked, and one is often used to obtain the other.
A little like power and war

My thoughts had me trying to remove the gender aspect. 'Violence is violence' I said to myself. Whether it be male on male, male on female, female on male, or female on female.
Yet, somehow. I have not yet been able to do so.
Is it the blatant abuse of love?.. abuse of masculine dominance?.. the shield of patriarchal cultures, the disgraceful denials and shedding of responsibility, when fault is placed soley on the woman.
Or am I buying into the notion of the weaker sex?. No, I don't think so.
I don't think so, because I don't think that women are the 'weaker sex' at all.( If there is even such a thing ) They may display more emotion, but that does not negate strength.
There is something strikingly different in my eyes when a man beats his wife or girlfriend, than in those other scenarios .. something feels different, I just can't yet put my finger on what that thing is.. yet.

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