This is one of those differences between Britain and the United States. In the United States, one out of seven men believe women who wear sexy clothing in public ought not to be hit, but to be hit on.
More like six or seven out of seven, I’d wager.
Anyway, what population do you think might constitute this dour one-seventh who believes that, to put it in the words of what the Boston Globe calls “the other good book,” the Qur’an, “good women are obedient,” and as for those who are not, “beat them”? Sour-faced old Methodists? Angry despotic Quakers? Really, what a mystery!
“Women should be hit for wearing sexy clothing in public, one in seven believe,” by Richard Ford for the Times, March 9 (thanks to all who sent this in):
One in seven people believe it is acceptable in some circumstances for a man to hit his wife or girlfriend if she is dressed in “sexy or revealing clothes in public”, according to the findings of a survey released today.
A similar number believed that it was all right for a man to slap his wife or girlfriend if she is “nagging or constantly moaning at him”.
Is a small bit of moaning ok?
The findings of the poll, conducted for the Home Office, also disclosed about a quarter of people believe that wearing sexy or revealing clothing should lead to a woman being held partly responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted.
Although a majority of 1,065 people over 18 questioned last month believe that it is never acceptable to hit or slap a woman, the poll found that those aged 25-39 were more likely to consider that there were circumstances in which it was acceptable to hit or slap a woman….