(ThyBlackMan.com) I will always believe every human being deserves equality and has the right to live a life free from violence and harm. No human being deserves to be beaten or degraded. We live in a society that tells us men are by far more violent them women statistically. The problem with the numbers is men often don’t report abuse for many reasons. There are many men living in abusive relationships, and homes yet they suffer in silence giving us stats that say men are more violent. For many women it’s not hard to validate the stats especially if they have had to live with varying kinds of abuse at the hands of men. However, some women know men that are abused and there is always a reason they deserve it, or an excuse as to why the woman acted out in a violent manner.
When little boys are sent to school, they are conditioned to keep their hands to themselves while told to be tough when their female classmates don’t follow the same directions. Its so much easier to ignore the little girl that hits boys, but a boy had better not think to retaliate. This double standard is dangerous. It is time that we as women understand we must keep our hands to ourselves, and our daughters must do the same. No one should be a punching bag, and this includes men and boys. If a man gets no pass for being violent regardless of the reason women shouldn’t either.
This position had been on my mind, but it was solidified one afternoon in the grocery store parking lot. I admit I hate to hear people argue simply because I don’t want to know their personal business, and it disturbs the peace. However, there was a couple in the parking lot, and the woman involved was loud and clearing cursing out the man she was with. Though people were staring no one said anything about the words she was yelling at this man.
I guess folks figured it was their business, or no one knows what he may have done to solicit that response from her. Granted the gentleman in the parking spot next to me mentioned that if a man were that loud and used that language someone would have accused him of being verbally abusive regardless of what caused him to be angry. The problem escalated as the man stood there and said nothing while being cursed out. The women turned as if she was going to walk away only to step turn back around and punch this man in the face. He definitely looks stunned, but he didn’t move. He put his hands up towards his face as she continued to hit him repeatedly. As I was digging in my purse to get my phone to dial 911, the man next to me was already doing so. What annoyed me was there were women in the parking lot laughing about him getting beat down by a woman. Honestly, I was upset for him, and all I could think was what if he was my family member. She hit him so hard she drew blood.
I know that if a man would have done that in the parking lot it would have went viral, and those women would not have been laughing at all. That couple left before the police could arrive; another case of a man being abused that probably won’t get reported. Yes, there are very abusive men in this world, and we have to realize there are also abusive women. we can’t continue to allow this double standard to continue. As women we must check out own on this, just as men must do the same. No human being deserves what I saw in that parking lot. There is no justification nor excuse that can make it right. If men must practice restraint, women must do the same. It’s time we take a stance again inhumane behavior for all people.
Staff Writer; Chelle’ St James
May also connect with this sister via Twitter; ChelleStJames.