Woman is the aggressor, can you hit her back?

Question

If a woman attacks you first, is it still self-defense and you're able to hit her back? Will you be in any legal trouble?

StevenJohn · Accepted Answer

-Legally speaking, you have the right to defend yourself using reasonable force against any attacker unless you feel that your life is threatened. There's a bit of a grey area in the sense of "reasonable force". If she's a 90 pound girl and you're a 250 pound man, punching her in the face is not "reasonable force" because you could easily over power her and walk away. When both of you are about the same build and weight that area gets even grayer. This is why in most states they will arrest both parties and charge both of you.

-morally speaking: if you can walk away, just walk away. It's easier on everyone.

I personally would never hit girl. I've seen guys in my state (Florida) go to jail for simply putting his hands on a girl to stop her from beating him. Obviously she was charged and he was released but it's still embarrassing. If things get heated between me and a girl I just walk away, period.

lavalamp87 · Accepted Answer

most courtrooms would absolutely favor the girl.

Its like, a viscious girl has much more power than a guy in the eyes of the public, because people automatically assume girls are nice/good etc and guys are a**holes. Of course that's not in touch with reality but take a look at the Jodi Arias case.. isn't it amazing how long the court went on and how extremely obvious it was that she was guilty? If it was a guy in that same position I can guarantee you he would have been found guilty WAYY sooner.

SunshineLelek · Accepted Answer

No, not only will you be in BIG LEGAL TROUBLE, but you will look like an eternal p**** for hitting a girl and everyone who finds out will always give you flack. Not only that, but it may deter future love interests from wanting to be with you because they've heard that you hit a girl and were proud. Men hitting women makes them look weak, like they lack self-restraint and self-control even if the woman was the aggressor. If a woman is an aggressor and a man can deal with himself without putting a hand on her, then he really looks like a real man.

My mom was an a**hole and an aggressor to my dad all the time for YEARS and he not once layed a hand on her. If he can do that, anyone can.

britannny · Accepted Answer

Ethically and legally, yes.  TECHNICALLY you're allowed to protect yourself if a woman is attacking you.  But, that doesn't mean that you might not still be painted as the "bad guy" in certain situations.  Even though that's wrong.  It just depends on the situation as to whether or not you'll get in to trouble for it, I suppose.

xHoneyxBeex · Accepted Answer

Yes, but ONLY in self-defense. If a woman is beating a man, he has every right to hit back to defend himself. Women can't just use their gender as an excuse to abuse men and get away with it. If a woman can hit a man then she should expect that he will hit back. Everyone has the right to defend themselves. That's how I see it.

theblondeguy · Answer

yea I slapped a black girl in a grocery store about two weeks ago she pulled a knife and said tht she was going cut this cracker and then walked toward me so I turned around and used my finger with a ring on it to slap tht bitch so hard she got dizzy and sat down...then the cops got called and one of her homegirls took the knife and denied she had it since its a mostly black neighborhood most of the f***ers are vouching for her I only got a disturbing the peace ticket for $500...but she trying to say she has whiplash and sue me I don't even think she knows what the f*** tht is...

1xadzy3dgSG · Answer

Legally, if she's currently attacking you, yes. But, morally, I don't think physical violence should ever be used. It just escalates the situation, and somebody can get seriously hurt. But, if you're asking if it's wrong for a man to hit a woman, then I think that's completely ridiculous to think a woman can hit a man, but not vice versa. I treat people how they treat me, regardless of gender, ethnicity, etc.

RedThread · Answer

I think it should take into consideration the two people involved more than just gender. For instance I'm 6'5" and pretty strong and I think I could restrain most women beating on me instead of slugging her in the face. Unless I was legitimately fearing for my life (if weapons are involved) I would use the least violent way possible to defend myself whether the attacker is male or female. The only reason I'm saying this is because some people go overboard with self defense and act like if you were hit by someone much smaller and weaker than you it gives you the right to completely beat them down into submission or seriously injure them. I think that makes the "self defender" the aggressor.

Theguyoverthere · Answer

Self defense is self defense. I honestly feel that most women who end up in violent situations tend to be attracted to those situations. When I hear about abusive situations even with aggressive boyfriends I always think "Why does she keep going back to him?"

Violent women though are definitely a problem. But the fact that our society always victimizes women just promotes it further.

https://youtu.be/LlFAd4YdQks

Easily show right here. Men attacking women, instant reaction is to defend the woman. Women attacking men, instant reaction is "He deserves it. He probably caught him cheating on her." and so on.

Prof_Don · Answer

I voted A. Legally, yes you can defend yourself by striking back (although there usually is a double standard about this in court).

I will do everything but punch and kick a woman if she attacks me. Why? Because I'm a stocky muscly strong dude and I can literally break bones in her face if I punch her or even slap her hard enough. I'm not looking to cause damage, I'm looking to diffuse her.

So I will push, pull, grab, submit, throw, trip, and even headlock her...but no striking unless she has something I consider a dangerous weapon. If she comes at me with a screwdriver (which kills more people than guns per year in the USA), I'm breaking bones damnit.

I will viciously counter attack ANYONE, male or female, that attempts to do me harm with a dangerous weapon.

I'm not a woman beater by any means; I just don't let anyone attack me.

Gender equality works both ways!

emzy-89 · Answer

You shouldn't hit back, you should just protect yourself; you are able to self-defend without lashing out. That being said, self-defence will often get you off a conviction (you will be charged with assault 1st though until you get to explain yourself.) I do feel, however, it would have very hard to plead self-defence if a man hits a woman because he's usually bigger and stronger and he could have probably just as easily restrained her in a less violent way. I think it's unethical to assault anyone, men, women, children, animals. People should just keep their hands to themselves.

Anonymous · Answer

I'm not sure that it would actually be legal to use more force than restraint requires. The average woman is not strong enough for the average man to need to do anything other than restrain her until she calms down, so using any any level of force beyond restraint (such as punching) might not fall under self-defence and you could both wind up getting an assault charge.

However, if it's one of those big huge women that look like their name is probably Helga, any force neccessary to defend yourself should be applicable as self-defense as long as you don't become the agressor by kicking her when she's down or something.

Anonymous · Answer

A woman attacks a man? Absolutely! He has every right to defend himself and I'd hope he would.

I personally think it's pretty ridiculous when women think they can beat up on a man and pay no consequences, haha!

Unfortunately, the system is biased and the man could get in trouble, legally. But I wouldn't think he deserved it, unless of course he took things too far.

Sib999 · Answer

As self defense, absolutely. You might be looked down at, though. For that reason alone, it'd be (socially) best if you could somehow hold her or stop her in a way that isn't directly punching her, but IMO if she started she should face the consequences.

kmetoo · Answer

Yes, equal and opposite force - meaning if you really feel that it is a true threat, then fight back - self defense is legal, but get a good lawyer!

Is the woman capable of doing you damage, or can you stop her by grabbing an arm and subduing her. Can't say that I have seen many females that can be that much of a threat so I wouldn't hit unless there is no other option e.g. a weapon or group.

sovetskii13 · Answer

If you are attacked by anyone, you have full right to self defense and take them down. Being a girl does not give her the right to beat up guys to death. There is a controversy or a debate about whether it's ethical or not, but I say it's completely ethical for the reason I just gave you. Being a girl does not mean she can attack a guy and not expect him to defend and prevent her from attacking again.

Account · Answer

Yes, it's perfectly okay to hit her back if she attacks you first. I am only talking about self-defense here though. If a woman hits a man FIRST, she should accept the consequences of her actions.

Anonymous · Answer

It is both legal and moral to strike someone who is attacking you or threatening to do so. Whether the aggressor is male or female is totally irrelevant.

However, unfortunately, being a guy, you're perhaps more likely not to be believed in a court case. And unfortunately there are some evil people who believe that it's OK for a woman to attack a man and he should just put up with it.

Anonymous · Answer

I would try my level best to remain calm and not to lose my temper. I will definitely leave the scene if she is causing me embarrassment in front of other people, before anything bad happens and of course I will sense that in advance. But in the end, I am a human as well. I could hit a women if things are reaaaalllllly going out of control and I am left with no choice.

front2back · Answer

I don't think it is right to hit a woman even if she attacks me first. If she keeps trying to hit me, I might restrain her by grabbing her arm and such, but never hit back.

I'm far too big of a dude and too old fashioned to find it acceptable.

Anonymous · Answer

No. Same concept as black people can openly insult and degrade you and you can't do it back to them. There are unwritten rules about these things and they're a little bit absurd. Though I would never personally hit a woman, even if I was being hit, I can understand why some retaliate out of self-defense.

Anonymous · Answer

I would just stand there and say Oh baby that slap felt so good give me more lol. In all seriousness I

I'm I the only one who finds it funny how its OK for a woman to hit a guy because she can? But in order for a guy to hit a woman he needs to prove it was self defense?

Anonymous · Answer

In that situation maybe, but I wouldn't feel right about it and probably wouldnt. It's best to try to diffuse the situation with as little force as possible first, weather it's a guy or a girl.

However the context and situation is everything. If guy or girl ATTACKED me, then yeah I'd stop him/her with what ever force is necessary, ie. hitting them back. I've sparred with girls in taekwondo, they aernt fragile butterflies.

confugirl · Answer

Yes you can. If you don't pummel her to a pudding when she only slapped you. So if you hit her about the same, then it's legal.

wolf359 · Answer

er..  yes?  it's an assault, is it not? Though if it's self-defence, no. the only issue is the "moral" one, but screw morals, they don't exist.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes it's legal but the American law will always protect the women so the guy will go to jail anyway

Anonymous · Answer

I wouldn't have to hit her back, she would fail to hit me at first, therefore the problem's already solved. And I'm sure that having me handling her this way (not even getting violent) would teach her to never even try again.

Anonymous · Answer

I got into in incident at a bar on the weekend with a girl , was upset at her but would never think of hitting her , her guy friend though I was this close to punching him in the face though

Jonny_ · Answer

Legally yes, although morally I still couldn't do it... There are other ways to restrain someone without having to lamp them.

lumos · Answer

Yes, but only to defend yourself. No need to bash her skull in or anything.

AndyWes · Answer

Yes, you can use whatever forced needed to stop her attack.  And I'm saying this as a legal studies major who works for a security company.

TheGodEmperorLeto · Answer

Depends if she's a threat. If a man or a woman isn't a threat, I don't hit back regardless. If they are, I do.

Enideqa · Answer

If its self defence I believe you can but I am not a hundred percent sure, I do know that you can press charges and call the cops on them.

Deviouscourage · Answer

Lol, can you provide proof or evidence that she hit you first?

Anonymous · Answer

no, I don't think men should be able to hit women at all unless the circumstances are extreme. I know I will probably get down voted into oblivion for this but I don't care, I am alowwed to have my own opinion just like you are allowed to have yours.

Anonymous · Answer

Legally you can, but the burden of proof would be on the man, so the guy is still more likely to get into legal trouble for hitting her back.

SaltandVinegar · Answer

If she attacks me I will defend myself I don't care about her gender

asianfreak · Answer

yes, if I felt she was about to put myself and my life in danger.

lee-cooper · Answer

i would certainly defend myself with proportional/equal aggression

Anonymous · Answer

F*** YES. BONUS POINTS IF THE MAN-BITCH IS A HOOD RAT.

Anonymous · Answer

Why wouldn't it be legal?  If you hit somebody expect to get hit back

UberTroll · Answer

Yes, legally and ethically.

jacquesvol · Answer

I'll see what I do if it happens.

tiredofwaiting · Answer

Yes but only if your life is in danger.

Anonymous · Answer

Only in self defense

Woman is the aggressor, can you hit her back?

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