Literally Asking For It? Why you still can’t murder your girlfriend

Why do we absolve abusive men through kinkshaming women?

It’s 9.03pm and you’re outside a bar in downtown New York. A drunk guy spills your drink and asks you if you want a fight. You swing the first punch. Are you, therefore, not guilty of assault because he ‘wanted it’?

And a hundred other obvious points for the morally challenged

Legally speaking, no. Because the prosecution would rightfully argue that you shouldn’t commit bodily harm, and unless you have a super slick lawyer who can argue you that you were defending yourself from a realistically threatening opponent, most juries would find, correctly, that you shouldn’t go around thumping people. Even if they’ve ‘been asking for it’.

Society recognises that we, as smug westerners, do not want to be part of a culture where grievously harming a random civilian is morally and legally acceptable.

Unfortunately, when it comes to sadistically beating, maiming, torturing or murdering women and LGBTQ people, the social attitude appears to shift somewhat on that legal matter. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a man-hating chip-on-shoulder-fest for every guy I’ve ever felt a bit let down…