Many years ago I was reading a thread about security guards in prisons. They were discussing which was worse: Men's prisons or Women's prisons.

Apparently, most guards prefer to work in the violent, maximum security men's prisons than any Women's prisons.

Why?

Well, turns out the violence between Men is ritualized.

They shout. They shove. They get in each other's face. Then the punches start.

Point is, you see it coming. You sense it. You can intervene. You can get between them and get them apart.

Women, apparently, don't follow those rituals. You turn your back and all of a sudden she goes from lying on the bunk to jumping onto your back, panther-style, scratching and biting and obeying none of the men's unwritten rules of fighting. You know, below the belt and stuff like that.

Every man has been in some scuffles in his school boy days. (well, maybe, who knows now with the kind of emasculation going on). I imagine even the most swishy of gay men would take a stand if an abusive partner went too far.

Women, I don't know. They might not have that experience.