# Could you ever strike a woman or a child? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 1, 2010, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270 "2010-01-01T06:24:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/1 "2010-01-01T06:24:25Z")
Until recently, the answer for me was always “Hell no!” Maybe a spanking for a kid, but nothing further. Tonight I watched 'An American Crime". I found it to be profoundly disturbing, and that’s saying a lot for me, I can watch all sorts of gross stuff, but I have a line. SPOILERS AHEAD The fact that this was based on true events made it even more difficult to watch. People that torture children…get a special type of punishment IMO. Kids that torture, get the taste slapped out of their mouth, and some follow up. “Dylan, did you put a cigarette out on that girl’s arm?” “Time out.” Fuck that! If Dylan put out a damn cigarette on anyone’s anything he gets slapped to the ground, or reported to the cops. I pride myself about never being physically abusive with women, but the mother in that story takes the cake. I would punch that woman as hard as I would a man, and then spit on her. Torturing an innocent girl? Die. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/2 "2010-01-01T06:36:06Z")
I imagine the predominant answer will be “only in self defence/if my life was in danger from said woman/child if I didn’t physically act”. Even in extreme circumstances like those from the film (admittedly I haven’t seen it)…I’d refer the first case to social services and the latter to the police. They’d deal with it better than I could, certainly better than I could by applying physical violence. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/3 "2010-01-01T06:36:49Z")
If it was the little kid from Joshua or the Orphan or the Bad Seed, then yes. ---
**Author:** ![beo.thuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@beo.thuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beo.thuck)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/4 "2010-01-01T06:59:41Z")
A child can be a 330 lb 17 yr old. ---
**Author:** ![Chimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Chimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimi)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/5 "2010-01-01T07:07:30Z")
My go-to answer is that I would hit a female in exactly the same circumstances that I would hit a male of the same general sturdiness, strength, and threat to myself. Of course, it’s been longer than I can remember since I’ve needed to hit anyone in self-defense or the like, of either gender, so that’s more of a philosophy than practice. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/6 "2010-01-01T07:28:24Z")
The little girl in _The Children’s Hour._ ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/7 "2010-01-01T07:49:41Z")
Well, in general I don’t hit anybody, but yes, I could. Then again, I’m a woman. I’ve hit my nephew but not in a “spank” way. He was hitting people. So I said, “that hurts, please don’t do it.” I asked him to put out his hand so I could show him what I meant. He put it out, I slapped it. “Did it hurt?” “Yes” “Did you like it?” “Noooo” “Will you please not do it to others? If you’re real mad, let me know and I’ll put my hand out and you can slap it.” “K.” And yes, when he wants to hit something, I do put my hand out and he can slap it. My parents and grandparents did that when we were little, and it works wonders. For some reason it never goes beyond two slaps, whereas when kids are allowed to punch or kick people it can last for several minutes. I think it’s partly because it repeats that time when the practice got established, and partly because slapping someone else’s hand makes your own sting, while kicking someone doesn’t hurt your shoe-clad feet. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/8 "2010-01-01T08:49:50Z")
I’d never hit a _child_, because I don’t have my own to discipline. But I’d defend myself from a young person who was attacking me. Say a 13-year old who was trying to pickpocket me or a 17-year-old who was harassing me on the bus. I’d hit a woman, tho. But I’m a woman myself. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/9 "2010-01-01T09:06:58Z")
I’ve personally decked a woman. Straight punch to the jaw, knocked her flat on her back. She was beating up my girlfriend at the time. Didn’t think twice about it. It was completely justified, as all witnesses agreed. If I come across anyone else - male, female, or undetermined - attacking my significant other, I will do my very best to do the same thing again. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/10 "2010-01-01T16:46:38Z")
Why on earth would someone’s gender be relevant if you found yourself in need of striking someone? ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/11 "2010-01-01T17:07:35Z")
If someone is a threat to me, I would do whatever it takes to defend myself. With a child over 5, I would probably hit harder than with an adult (i.e., try to knock them unconscious) simply because it’s been my experience that children are more dangerous because they have less control over their emotions and less understanding in general of what physical violence does to another person. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/12 "2010-01-01T17:32:51Z")
I could, but I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t hit a man, either. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/13 "2010-01-01T17:44:36Z")
I do it all the time. Especially on Tuesday evenings from 7:45 to 8:30 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/14 "2010-01-01T18:01:27Z")
I would use violence against women for exactly the same reasons as I would do to a man that is for my self-defense, against attacks on others, and for the interests of my nation. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/15 "2010-01-01T19:30:32Z")
I’d only hit a woman in extreme circumstances like say, not having my dinner ready or not having the house clean. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/16 "2010-01-01T19:33:32Z")
If she was attacking me I’d punch her out. If she was attacking my children or wife I’d punch her out. If she was attacking someone in a wheelchair I’d punch her out. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/17 "2010-01-01T20:22:34Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’d only hit a woman in extreme circumstances like say, not having my dinner ready or not having the house clean. Not for back-talking? Pansy. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/18 "2010-01-01T20:34:00Z")
> [@beo.thuck](#): > > A child can be a 330 lb 17 yr old. Well, I wouldn’t hit _tha_t kid. He might hit me back. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/19 "2010-01-01T20:54:47Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I do it all the time. Especially on Tuesday evenings from 7:45 to 8:30 or so. ??? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270/20 "2010-01-01T21:02:31Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Why on earth would someone’s gender be relevant if you found yourself in need of striking someone? Relative size and build differentials. The same beat down that might only injure a man, might cripple or kill a child or woman, so the test of using physical violence on kids and women is typically more finely parsed and taken more seriously. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-ever-strike-a-woman-or-a-child/523270.md?page=2)